Abstract: Reconfigurable antennas utilizing parasitic layers are disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, a reconfigurable antenna may include an active driven antenna element. The active driven antenna may be a patch antenna element. A parasitic element may be disposed over the active antenna element and be configured to couple with electromagnetic energy emitted from the active antenna element via electromagnetic mutual coupling. The parasitic element may include an array of selectively reconfigurable pixels interconnected via microelectromechanical switches. By selectively reconfiguring the geometry of the array, the reconfigurable antenna may be configured to operate in multiple operating modes.

Abstract: A reconfigurable antenna that utilizes liquid metal to achieve dynamic antenna performance is disclosed. The reconfigurable antenna may utilize one or more liquid metal sections that can be variably displaced. Utilizing liquid metal may reduce certain undesirable effects associated with more conventional mechanical reconfigurable antennas including mechanical failure due to material fatigue, creep, and/or wear. Precise microfluidic techniques may be utilized in the design of a reconfigurable antenna that utilizes liquid metal. The reconfigurable antenna may utilize a circular Yagi-Uda array design and include movable parasitic director and reflector elements implemented using liquid metal (e.g., mercury (Hg)). The parasitic elements may be placed and rotated in a circular microfluidic channel around a driven antenna element utilizing a flow generated and controlled by a piezoelectric micropump.