Reconfigurable Microstrip Patch Antenna Array with Beam Shaping

In this paper presents a reconfigurable of multiple element microstrip rectangular antenna and integration with PIN diode switches. The designed corporate feed concept is used to animate an eight elements linear array of rectangular microstrip patch. Specifically, this design uses two switches with operating frequency at 5.8 GHz. It will reconfigure the beam to generates concave (focusing/beam narrow) or convex (defocusing/beam broaden) wavefronts by properly arranging, therefore, the antenna functions like an optical lens [Chia-Chan et al., 2002]. The behavior of the reconfigurable multiple element linear antenna array system have been investigated with respect to beam shaping characteristic. The comparison of performance between two structure, with Wilkinson power divider (WPD) and without WPD are discussed in this paper. Two different beam patterns are achieved through the reconfigurable antenna at different number of elements design that incorporates with PIN diode switches and modified WPD concept.