MEMS RECONFIGURABLE PATCH ANTENNA ANALYSIS USING WIPL-D
C. MEDEIROS, J.R. COSTA, C.A. FERNANDES, B. KOLUNDZIJA

Abstract. This paper investigates the feasibility of using a commercial numerical electromagnetic solver - WIPL-D Microwave - to completely model a MEMS reconfigurable patch antenna. The proposed model takes into account not only the switch RF characteristic through its scattering matrix, but also the influence of the MEMS encapsulation and of the DC actuation circuit on antenna performance in terms of impedance and radiation pattern. To achieve this, a procedure is proposed using WIPL-D Microwave to combine a 3D EM analysis of the antenna with a microwave circuit analysis. The proposed procedure is used to accurately model and design a frequency agile patch antenna, in the 2.5 to 3 GHz frequency band, with packaged commercial MEMS switches. Experimental results agree quite well with simulations.