Circularly Polarized Antenna With Steerable Dipole-Like Radiation Pattern

Abstract

An omnidirectional circularly polarized antenna with a rotatable dipole-shaped radiation pattern is proposed. The antenna is realized using a back-to-back coupled microstrip patch arrangement. The pattern is rotated by means of a phase shift, enabling reception (or transmission) of signals from all angles around a sphere. The method enables continuous pattern steering without the need for semiconductor or MEMS components integrated into the antenna. It also allows the use of more than one radiation pattern simultaneously, potentially providing coverage for any spherical angle. The theory is supported by simulation and measurement of four typical antenna configurations. The maximum gains are between 1.9 and 4 dBic and average axial-ratio varies between 2.5 and 3.65 dB at 2.47 GHz. The impedance bandwidth is from 2.4 to 2.51 GHz and the reconfigurable circular polarization is achieved from 2.464 to 2.484 GHz.