RESEARCH ARTICLE | SEPTEMBER 25 2014

Design and fabrication of low-cost reconfigurable microstrip

antenna using photodiode as optical switching 
E. R. Kusumawati; Y. H. Pramono; A. Rubiyanto

AIP Conf. Proc. 1617, 67–70 (2014)

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4897106

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16 February 2024 07:58:58

 Design and Fabrication of Low-Cost Reconfigurable
Microstrip Antenna Using Photodiode as Optical Switching
E. R. Kusumawati1, Y. H. Pramono2, A. Rubiyanto3
1,2,3
Physics Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science
Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology, Surabaya, Indonesia
1
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. Design, fabrication, and characterization prototype of reconfigurable dipole microstrip antenna using photodiode as
optical switching have been conducted in the Laboratory for Optical and Microwave Physics Department Faculty of ITS. This
paper presents a new reconfigurable antenna design using photodiode as optical switching. In order to be optical switching,
photodiode must be illuminated by optical source. The optical source used is Infrared with power 8 mW. Antenna is fabricated in
FR-4 substrate which has 1.6 mm thick and 4.8 relative permittivity value. The dimension of the substrate is 131 mm × 21.5 mm ×
1.6 mm. The structure of antenna is Coplanar Stripline (CPS) dipole. Measurement is conducted in two state. First state is
photodiodes unilluminated Infrared and the second state is illuminated. The measurement result indicate that if condition is not
illuminated by Infrared (OFF-state) antenna has resonance frequency of 2010 MHz and 2120 MHz. At frequency 2010 MHz, S11
value -35.7 dB and bandwidth 57 MHz, meanwhile at frequency 2120 MHz, S11 value -17.3 dB and bandwidth 42 MHz. Then if
photodiode was illuminated by infrared (ON-state), antenna work at frequency 2007 MHz with S11 value –41.8 dB and bandwidth
61 MHz and 2113 MHz with S11 value -19.4 and bandwidth 47 MHz. There was frequency shifting from 2010 MHz to 2007
MHz and 2120 MHz to 2113 MHz of 5 MHz. At ON state, S11 value also was shifting. There was 6.1 dB and 2.1 dB. Bandwidth
at ON-state is wider than OFF state. Microstrip antenna with a reconfigurable optical switching photodiode has several advantages.
The advantages are more easily fabricated and the cost is relatively cheaper than the other techniques of optical switching.
Keywords: reconfigurable antenna microstrip, photodiode, optical switching, infrared, coplanar stripline

16 February 2024 07:58:58

PACS: 84.40.Ba

INTRODUCTION design is a stripline fed circular patch. The second

design is a modified polygon shaped CPW fed patch
In present-day communication systems, the antenna. In both design cases, the laser light is
demand for multipurpose and multiband antenna transversally coupled to the photoconductive switching
increase. Reconfigurable antennas have become good element comprises a doped silicon by means of optical
and interesting option. One type of these antennas can fiber.
operate at multi bands and switch to all the required Many designs have been proposed in the past that
frequencies through mechanical, electrical, optical, use the photoconductive switching element (a doped
and other. These antennas also can adapt with silicon), but these are limited by high-cost. Kiriazi et
changing system requirement can eliminate these al. present antenna length changes using RF-MEMS
restrictions and provide additional levels of switches in [4]. In this work, opening and closing a
functionality for any system [1]. pair of RF-MEMS switches reconfigures a simple
Coplanar stripline (CPS) has many advantages in antenna printed on a high-resistivity silicon substrate.
RF circuit design [1]. For example, the mounting of RF-MEMS are limited by low-power handling
active or passive components in shunt or series capabilities and mechanical failure due to moving
configuration are simple and much easier, drilling of parts [2]. Kusumawati et al. present a dipole antenna in
holes through the substrate is not needed to connect CPS fabricated on solar cell as substrate and
the ground plane. Panagamuwa et al. in [2] presented a photoconductive switching element [5].
balanced dipole in CPS and CPW (coplanar Switched frequency-radiating slots with a variety
waveguide) fabricated on high-resistivity silicon was of geometries and radiating properties have also been
equipped with two silicon photoconducting switches. proposed by a number of researchers. One
The antenna design is also completed by balun to reconfigurable slot antenna was proposed by Gupta et
convert the unbalanced CPW to a balanced CPS. Light al [6] and Peroulis et al [7]. With a nested ring layout,
from infrared laser diodes guided with fiber-optic it was fed with a single slotline or CPW line. Using
cables was used to control the switches. A similar eight PIN diodes switches, the lower of two operating
switching method approach was taken by Tawk et al. frequencies was set by perimeter of the outer loop.
in [3] presented two different RF structures. The first Razali et al. in [8] presented a planar reconfigurable
antenna by ground plane modifications using fixed
3rd International Conference on Theoretical and Applied Physics 2013 (ICTAP 2013)
AIP Conf. Proc. 1617, 67-70 (2014); doi: 10.1063/1.4897106
© 2014 AIP Publishing LLC 978-0-7354-1254-5/$30.00

67
slots, reconfigurable slots, and a ground strip slot.The Where
other switching method is by introducing an adjustable  g is the wavelength in antenna
air gap between the substrate and the ground plane was
taken by Fortaki et al [9]. In this paper we approach, a 0 is the wavelength in free space
new geometry and technique optical switches of  eff is the effective dielectric constant
reconfigurable antennas by using the bias
configurations of the photodiode. f is the operating frequency of antenna

PHOTODIODE SWITCHES
COPLANAR STRIPLINE (CPS)
A photodiode is a type of photodetector capable of
converting light into either current or voltage. It is a p- Coplanar Stripline is microstrip antenna structure
consists of two striplines patch that is separated by gap.
n junction whose reverse current increases when it
Gap is fully contained of substrate. The design of
absorbs photons [10]. When photons strike the
Coplanar Stripline can be seen at Figure 2.
photodiode, it are absorbed, an electron-hole pair is
generated. But only where an electric field is present
can the charge carriers be transported in a particular
direction. Since a p-n junction can support an electric
field only in the depletion layer, this is the region in
which it is desirable to generate photo carriers as
Figure 1. Thus holes move toward the anode, and
electrons toward the cathode, and a photocurrent is
produced.
FIGURE 2. Coplanar Stripline Design

16 February 2024 07:58:58

The effective dilectric constant is determined by
equation “(3)”and the characteristic impedance is given
by “(4)”
r 1
 eff  (3)
2
120 K  k1 
Z0  (4)
 eff K  k1 
FIGURE 1. Geometry Antenna Design
Where
The use of diodes as the switching element in a s
k  (5)
microwave circuits is based on the difference between b  s  2w 
the diode reverse and forward bias characteristics [10].
If photodiode is illuminated Infrared, it caused the k'  1 k2 (6)
electrical length of antenna is change. The change of
electrical length was effected the change wavelength.
It will be effect to the operating frequency of antenna K k  
 for 0  k  0,707 (7)
is given by “(1)” and “(2)”.

g 
0
K ' k 
ln 

 2 1 k' 
 
 
(1)  
 eff  1  k 
'

c
0 
f
(2) K k  1  2 1 k 
 ln 
 
 for 0,707  k  1 (8)
K ' k    1 k 
 
 

68
Where TABLE 1. Dimension of Purpose Antenna
h is the substrate thickness Parameter Size (mm)
L1 45.14
 r is the effective dielectric constant L2 45.14
a or s is the gap width L3 17.47
b is the width of two stripline and gap L4 15
w is the stripline width L5 15
W1 2.2
W2 3.94
S1 1.35
ANTENNA DESIGN S2 3
S3 3
Antenna design is a balanced dipole in CPS
(Coplanar Stripline) fabricated on fiber substrate has
permittivity of 4.8 and 1.6 mm thick. The dimension MEASUREMENT SETUP
of the substrate is 131 mm × 21.5 mm × 1.6 mm.
Antenna was equipped with four photodiode as Measurement of antenna characteristic is
photoconductive switching. Photodiodes are low cost conducted using Network analyzer N9923A. The
and have a simple fabrication process. The antenna get photodiodes as optical switching are illuminated
the input matching impedance of Z0 is 50ohm as Infrared with power 8 mW. Measurement is conducted
according to impedance from connector. in two states. First state is photodiodes unilluminated
Antenna was designed in the form of planar Infrared (OFF-state) and second state (ON-state) is
structures and using CST Microwave Studio which is illuminated.
based on finite integration method. The geometry of
the reconfigurable antenna is shown in Figure 3 and its
parameters size in Table 1.

16 February 2024 07:58:58

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The result of measurement of characteristic

antenna is shown in Figure 4.

(a)

(b)
FIGURE 4. Graph Frequency vs S11 of Antenna

FIGURE 3. Reconfigurable Antenna Design ( a) Passive The Figure .4 shows that if condition was not
antenna configuration and ( b) Antenna configuration with illuminated by infrared (OFF state), antenna has
photodiode and connector resonance frequency of 2010 MHz and 2120 MHz. At
frequency 2010 MHz, S11 value -35.7 dB and
bandwidth 57 MHz, meanwhile at frequency 2120
MHz, S11 value -17.3 dB and bandwidth 42 MHz.

69
Then if photodiode was illuminated by infrared (ON- [4] J.Kiriazi, H. Ghalie, H. Radaie, & H. Haddara,
state), antenna work at frequency 2007 MHz with S11 “Reconfigurable Dual-Band Dipole Antenna on Silicon
Using Series MEMS Switches,”Proceedings of the
value –41.8 dB and bandwidth 61 MHz and 2113 MHz IEEE/URSI International Symposium on Antenna and
with S11 value -19.4 and bandwidth 47 MHz. Propagation, vol.1, pp.403-406, 2003
When both switches are turned off, the photodiode [5] E. R. Kusumawati, Y. H. Pramono, A. Rubiyanto, “
is reverse-biased (OFF-state). It acts as an open circuit Reconfigurable Dipole Microstrip Antenna using Solar
Cell as Substrate Controlled by Optical Source”,
so the dipole resonates at its shorter length of 45.14 Proceeding of 3rd Makassar International Conference on
mm. When four photodiodes are operating at 8 mW, Electrical Engineering and Informatics (MICEEI), pp.
the photodiodes conducts and the gap are bridges, 221-224, 2012
increasing the dipole arm lengths to 60.14 mm and [6] K. C. Gupta, J. Li, R. Ramadoss, & C. Wang, “Design of
hence reducing the resonance frequency from 2010 Frequency-Reconfigurable Slot Ring Antennas, “
Proceeding of the IEEE/URSI International symposium
MHz to 2007 Mhz and 2120 MHz to 2113 MHz. This on Antennas and Propagation, vol.1, p.326, 2000
condition caused the electrical length of antenna is [7] D. Peroulis, K. Sarabandi, L.Katehi, “Design of
increase. The increasing of electrical length was Reconfigurable Slot Antennas”, IEEE Transactions on
effected the change wavelength of antenna became Antennas and Propagation, 53(2), 645-654, 2005
longer too. [8] A. R. Razali, A. M. Abbosh, M. A. Antoniades,
“Compact Planar Multiband Antennas for mobile
The electrical length on antenna has close Applications”, InTech, 2013
relationship with the wavelength in antenna g ,   [9] T. Fortaki, S. Benkouda, M. Amir, and A. Benghalia, “
Air Gap Tuning Effect on the Resonant Frequency and
capacity and conductivity value of antenna. If Half-power Bandwidth of Superconducting Microstrip
electrical length of antenna change, the wavelength in Patch”, PIERS online, vol. 5, no. 4, pp.350-354, 2009
 
antenna g , capacity and conductivity value of [10] Bahaa E.A. Saleh, M. C. Teich, “Fundamental of
Photonics”, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1991
antenna would be changed too. Thus, work frequency [11] K. C. Gupta, R. Garg, I. Bahl, P. Bhartia, “Microstrip
will be decreased based on “(2)” and “(3)”. Lines and Slotlines,” Artech House, 1996.

16 February 2024 07:58:58

CONCLUSION
The design and fabrication of low-cost
reconfigurable microstrip antenna using photodiode as
optical switching have been presented. Measurement
result shows if photodiode illuminated by infrared
(OFF state), antenna has resonance frequency of 2010
MHz and 2120 MHz. At frequency 2010 MHz, S11
value -35.7 dB and bandwidth 57 MHz, meanwhile at
frequency 2120 MHz, S11 value -17.3 dB and
bandwidth 42 MHz. Then if photodiode was
illuminated by infrared (ON-state), antenna work at
frequency 2007 MHz with S11 value –41.8 dB and
bandwidth 61 MHz and 2113 MHz with S11 value -
19.4 and bandwidth 47 MHz. There was frequency
shifting from 2010 MHz to 2007 MHz and 2120 MHz
to 2113 MHz of 5 MHz. At ON state, S11 value also
was shifting. There was 6.1 dB and 2.1 dB. Bandwidth
at ON-state is wider than OFF state.

REFERENCES
[1] J. T. Bernhard, “Reconfigurable Antennas”, Morgan &
Claypool, 2007
[2] C.J. Panagamuwa, A. Chauraya, and J.C. Vardaxoglou,
“Frequency and Beam Reconfigurable Antenna Using
Photoconducting Switches,” IEEE Transactions on
Antennas and Propagation, vol. 54, no.2, 2006
[3] Y. Tawk, A. R. Albrecht, S. Hemmady, G. Balakrishnan,
& C. G. Christodoulou, “Optically Pumped Recon-
figurable Antena Systems (OPRAS)”, IEEE, 2010

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