MOS capacitor loaded frequency agile microstrip antenna

Abstract

A new MOS capacitor loaded frequency agile microstrip patch antenna is proposed in which the operating frequency of the rectangular microstrip antenna is electronically controlled by the bias voltage of the MOS capacitor. Theoretical investigations, based on a modal expansion cavity model as well as an improved theory of Richards et al. (1981, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 29, 38-41), are carried out for five different oxide (Si3N4) thicknesses from 100 Å to 500 Å for the (Au-Si3N4-Si) MOS structure. The maximum obtainable frequency tuning range (76.08%) is achieved for the lowest value of oxide thickness (100 Å); this is almost 1.5 times the value reported for the varactor loaded patch antenna. The larger frequency variation is achieved with lower variation in the bias voltage as compared with the varactor. © 1999 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.