A reconfigurable microstrip cross parasitic patch antenna with two-dimensional beam scanning capability

A reconfigurable planar cross parasitic patch antenna is designed and simulated to achieve continuous two-dimensional beam scanning at 2.45 GHz. The antenna realizes complete azimuthal beam scanning with a maximum elevation angle of 34°. This antenna consists of a central driven element and four hexagonal slotted tunable parasitic patches placed on each side of the driven element. The effective electrical size of the parasitic element is changed with respect to the driven element, by varying the capacitance of varactor diodes loaded in the hexagonal slot. The reflector and director properties of the tunable parasitic elements are used to tilt the main beam of antenna away from the broadside direction. The antenna achieves continuous beam scanning from θ = 0° to 34° for φ = 45°, 90°, 135°, 225°, 270° and 315° planes. The advantage of the antenna is that the design is simple and it maintains a common impedance bandwidth from 2.42–2.47 GHz in all configurations. The two-dimensional beam scanning capability of the proposed antenna can be effectively used in the next generation wireless communication networks.