VO2 antennas with metallic inclusions for low-loss reconfigurable cognitive radios

摘要

In this article, we demonstrate a reconfigurable antenna concept based upon a film of vanadium dioxide (VO2) with embedded metallic surface inclusions to increase radiation efficiency. We fabricate a monopole antenna with the proposed film, demonstrate a good match between measurement and simulation, and propose methods for increasing performance. We show that the addition of metallic inclusions in the VO2 film results in a 37-fold increase in the radiation efficiency. This concept, if paired with a spatially addressable micro-heater array, could enable extremely flexible and low-loss frequency-agile cognitive radio antennas for dynamic spectrum applications as well as polarization and pattern reconfiguration for operation in 5G and beyond systems where spectrum is congested and coexistence is compulsory.