Frequency-reconfigurable dielectric resonator antenna using metasurface

In this paper, we propose a frequency-reconfigurable antenna structure consisting of a dielectric resonator (DR) topped by a superstrate material. Two metasurfaces (MSs) are placed upon the DR and the superstrate, where these two MSs are utilized to synthesize a localized reduction of the dielectric constant of the DR. By placing switches into one of the MSs, the distribution of dielectric constant of the DR can be switched to one of two predefined distributions, which is equivalent to switching the DR length to two different lengths. Consequently, the frequency response of the proposed structure can be tuned to one of two operating bands. The excited modes inside the proposed antenna were obtained analytically and through simulations. Also, the dielectric constant value of substrates topped by MSs was analyzed. The antenna was fabricated and measured, and good agreement between simulation and measurement was attained. The antenna bandwidths are 7-8.1 GHz (14.7%) and 8.5-9.2 GHz (8%) and the gains are 5.1 and 7.8 dB, in the cases of having switches off and on, respectively.