Design, implementation and measurement of 26.6 GHz patch antenna using MEMS technology

The paper presents a 26.6 GHz patch antenna using MEMS technology. In this technology, the patch is suspended over a thin dielectric layer (membrane), which is deposited on a high index silicon substrate. In addition, the silicon substrate is fully etched under the patch, creating an air cavity region of very low dielectric constant (/spl epsiv//sub r//spl cong/1). The antenna is directly fed using a microstrip line, and a CPW-microstrip transition is used for probe measurements of the antenna return loss. The design is performed using the 3D electromagnetic simulator HFSS/sup /spl reg//. The measured antenna return loss is -17 dB at 26.6 GHz, and the bandwidth is 4.5%. The antenna has a radiation efficiency of 61.7% and directivity of 7.9 dB. The measured antenna cross-polarization level is less than -20 dB in both the E- and H-planes.