Radiation characteristics of switchable ferrite microstrip array antenna

Abstract

Radiation characteristics of a switchable microstrip planar array of circular patch antennas printed on ferrite substrate with a normal magnetic bias field are described. The extra degree-of-freedom offered by the biased ferrite can be used to obtain a number of novel characteristics including switchable and tunable radiations from a microstrip antenna with a single feed point. In such a case for antenna radiation, most of the power will be converted into magnetostatic waves and little radiates into the air. Under such circumstances the antennas are off, in the sense that they are effectively absent as radiators. Properties of a switchable antenna in an S band (3 GHz) are investigated.