Reconfigurable dielectric resonator antenna and array with frequency and polarization flexibility

To implement frequency and polarization hybrid reconfiguration, a 4 × 4 array has been investigated. The radiation elements of the antenna array consist of cylindrical dielectric resonators, Wilkinson power divider, PIN diode, and dielectric substrate. The PIN diode controls the states of each branch in the Wilkinson power divider to achieve frequency and polarization reconfigurability. To verify the feasibility of the design, a fabricated sample of the proposed antenna array has been measured. The results demonstrate that the antenna array can be switched freely between its operating frequencies and polarizations. It operates within a bandwidth of 1.93 to 4.6 GHz for frequency reconfiguration, and three common polarization states—linear polarization, left-handed circular polarization, and right-handed circular polarization—can be continuously tuned from 2.96 to 3.39 GHz.