Design of a Polarization Reconfigurable Crossed-Dipole Antenna Using Surface Integrated Fluidic Loading Mechanisms

1. Design of a Polarization Reconfigurable Crossed-Dipole AntennaUsing Surface Integrated Fluidic Loading Mechanisms 1S. Goldberger, 2F. Drummond, 1J. Barrera, 2S. Davis, 1J. Edelen, 1 M. Geppert, 1Y. Judie, 1Q. Manley, 2C. Peters, 3S. Smith, and 1G. H. Huff 1Electromagnetics and Microwave Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3128 2Department of Aerospace Engineering Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3118 3Department of Mechanical Engineering Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3123 Email: ghuff@tamu.edu This work was sponsored in part by AFOSR grant # FA9550-08-1-0329 and the NASA funded Space Engineering Institute at Texas A&M University

2. Project Team and Acknowledgements Prof. Gregory H. Huff Prof. James G. Boyd Dr. Patrick Fink Dr. Tim Kennedy Dr. Phong Ngo Magda Lagoudas Stephen A. Long Second Row: Sean Goldberger, Stephen Davis, Frank Drummond, Joel Barrera, and Michelle Geppert Front Row: Quinn Manley, YaShavaun Judie, Jamie Edelen, Samantha Smith, and Cameron Peters

3. Motivation www.nature.com www.radantmems.com www.tplinc.com • New materials-centric approach provides continuous tunability • Biasing and control lines removed from plane of antenna • SOA antenna reconfiguration uses RF MEMS and solid state • Complexity can result from biasing and control • Support NASA JSC on software defined radios with adaptive and reconfigurable antenna systems

4. Materials Team Goals Concerned with analyzing the fluid flowing through the antenna Three major goals Determine effective properties for a random particle distribution Model moving particles Design fluidic system

5. Dielectric Constant Testing

6. Effective Properties Simulation • Use MATLAB to generate random 3-D particles • Use COMSOL for effective property simulations • Random, periodic particle distribution Oil BSTO Surfactant

7. Fluidic Simulation • More realistic results than static FCC lattice structure from last year • Will be combined with random particle distribution code • Particle collisions • Bunching • Path through curve

8. Antenna Design Microstrip Cross-Dipole: Experimental Model (ISM Band Design) Switchable dual linearly polarized crossed dipole design with four electrokinetic coupled microstrip gaps filled with volume fractions of magnetodielectric colloidal material in liquid

9. Analytical Modeling

10. Gap Analytical Modeling

11. Capillary Integration Adapter Gap Channel Inflow/Outflow

12. LabVIEW Integration Team Goals and Progress • Progress • Downloaded drivers for NI module to LabVIEW connection • Pump runs without LabVIEW or module at a maximum velocity of 0.45 ml/min with water • Currently working on a program for the PNA Goals • Control speed ofperistaltic pump with LabVIEW • Control network analyzer and its components with LabVIEW • Implement a closed-loop system http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07267c.jpg USB USB Analog PNA NI Module Peristaltic Pump

13. Peristaltic Pump • Peristaltic pump - Positive displacement pump used for pumping a variety of fluids • Description - As the rotor turns, rollers attached to the external circumference compress the flexible tube forcing the fluid to move through the tube • Flow Rate Variables • Tube ID - higher flow rate with larger ID • Length of inner tube- higher flow rate with longer length • Roller RPM - higher flow rate with higher RPM Rotary peristaltic pump action 360 Degree peristaltic pump Clockwise roller rotation http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Howworksmin.gif www.eccentricpumps.com

14. Measured Data No Radiation

15. Measured Data Sim: Black Meas: Red

16. Data Sim: Black Meas: Red

17. Data Sim: Black Meas: Red

18. Future Work – Software Defined Radio • Software Reconfigurable Antennas • Analyzes the signal that the antenna is sending or receiving • Modifies the antenna based on the bit error rate • Operating Frequency: 2.4GHz • Ways to Reconfigure the Antenna • Change the Polarization • Change concentration of particles or liquids • Change the power of the antenna

19. Gnuradio Software controls the USRP and other controllers • Another Controller • Controls circuits that control the configuration of the antenna • Gets a response from computer about the transmitted signal • Sends an electrical signal to a circuit connected to the antenna to reconfigure it • The USRP • Connects the antenna to the computer • Gives the antenna the signal to send and receives the signal sent • Performs analysis on signal • Can be programmed

20. Design of a Polarization Reconfigurable Crossed-Dipole AntennaUsing Surface Integrated Fluidic Loading Mechanisms 1S. Goldberger, 2F. Drummond, 1J. Barrera, 2S. Davis, 1J. Edelen, 1 M. Geppert, 1Y. Judie, 1Q. Manley, 2C. Peters, 3S. Smith, and 1G. H. Huff 1Electromagnetics and Microwave Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3128 2Department of Aerospace Engineering Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3118 3Department of Mechanical Engineering Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3123 Email: ghuff@tamu.edu This work was sponsored in part by AFOSR grant # FA9550-08-1-0329 and the NASA funded Space Engineering Institute at Texas A&M University