High gain polarization reconfigurable antenna arrays using a polarization reconfigurable converter

In this article, designs of high gain polarization reconfigurable antenna arrays are proposed. A reconfigurable single-layer polarization converter working in transmission mode is integrated with 1 × 4 and 2 × 2 patch array antennas to arrive at the design of polarization reconfigurable antennas. The antenna arrays with the polarization converter radiate linearly or circularly polarized waves depending on the bias state of PIN diodes used in the converter. LP wave is obtained if the diodes are forward biased while the reverse bias state of the diodes provides a circularly polarized wave. The 1 × 4 patch array integrated with the polarization converter exhibits an operating bandwidth of 6.12% (14.5-15.4 GHz) with an average gain of 14.3 dB for the linear/circular polarization states. The operating bandwidth of 6.75% (14.3-15.3 GHz) and an average gain of 12.6 dB are obtained for the 2 × 2 patch array with the converter. The prototypes of the antenna arrays with the polarization converter are fabricated and their performance characteristics are measured. The simulated and measured results are found to be in close agreement.