Published September 3, 2026
| Version v1
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A Reconfigurable PRS-Loaded Patch Antenna Enabled by Liquid Metal for Beam Steering
Description
[Abstract] This paper presents a low-profile beam-steering antenna based on a liquid-metal-integrated partially reflective surface (PRS). The proposed structure consists of a microstrip patch antenna with a PRS positioned 2 mm (~$\lambda$/10 at 15 GHz) above the patch. This results in significantly reduced profile compared to conventional PRS-based designs. The PRS is realized in a superstrate incorporating 11 microfluidic channels made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). By dynamically controlling the distribution of liquid metal (LM) within these channels, beam steering is achieved over a wide angular range from −50° to +50°.
A consistent −10 dB impedance bandwidth of 14.1–17.0 GHz is maintained for all configurations. The antenna achieves realized gains of 8.88 dBi and 8.27 dBi at 35° and 50°, respectively, compared to 6.8 dBi at broadside, while the standalone main antenna provides a gain of 5.1 dBi. This demonstrates the enhancement in radiation performance due to the PRS. The proposed antenna could be suited for applications requiring low-profile and reconfigurable radiation characteristics.
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Paper-UCMMT2026.pdf
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