HIS-EBG Unit Cells for Pattern and Frequency Reconfigurable Dual Band Array Antenna

International audienceThe incorporation of Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG) unit cells, a type of metamaterials, with a dual band array antenna is proposed. By configuring the band gap of EBG cells accordingly, the pattern of the array antenna is successfully reconfigured at lower band of 2.4 GHz while maintaining the pattern at higher band of 5.8 GHz. Three pattern directions have been achieved initial radiation pattern, 349-degree shift and 11-degree shift of the H-field. The array antenna is also frequency reconfigurable by suppressing the radiation pattern of the antenna in four different EBG cells configurations. In pattern shifting mode, the realized gain of the antenna is satisfactorily maintained and is comparable with the standalone of dual band array antenna with the range of gains from 5.08 dBi to 6.14 dBi and 7.83 dBi at 5.8 GHz