Analysis of Reconfigurable Line Pattern of Capillary Plasma Antenna Array

Simulations by applying Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio have been done towards Hg-Ar (10 Torr and 20 Torr) capillary tubes. These capillary tubes which are 5 mm in diameter are designed as plasma antenna monopole antenna and antenna arrays (four line array, six line array and nine line array). They have been arranged in the two different dimensions, 4mm x 4mm and 8mm x 8mm. Their performance as an antenna have been analyzed and compared. The reconfigurable characteristics of these kinds of plasma antenna such as gain, directivity and return loss are calculated. The results of gain and directivity of 10 Torr of plasma antenna are stronger than 20 Torr in the 4mm x 4mm dimension. Return loss of these kinds of plasma antenna significantly dropped in different operating frequencies of microwave ranges make them suitable to be applied for multiple applications in antennas or telecommunications field. Gas pressure of plasma antenna and array distance between the capillary tubes give a significant effect to the antenna performance in range of 10 GHz and below.