Frequency reconfigurable, 220–5000 MHz, five-band RF MEMS PIFA

A frequency reconfigurable, 220-5000MHz, five-band planar inverted F-antenna for the US Public Safety bands is presented in this paper. The reconfigurability of the antenna is achieved using 13 RF Micro Electro Mechanical Systems switches in order to alter the antenna operation between the bands, at 221, 470, 620, 935, and 4960MHz. The switches are employed to change the electrical lengths of the RF current paths on the antenna geometry which gives a high operational frequency ratio of 22 (4960/220). The measurement results agree well with simulations, where 10%, 5%, 8%, 7%, and 8% fractional bandwidths have been measured in the five bands respectively.