Reconfigurability enhancement of pixel array antennas based on WOA and MPUC

Reconfigurable pixel antennas are crucial for advancing wireless communication. However, the increasing number of switches results in exponentially growing complexity in antenna configurations. While the complexity holds promise for performance improvements, it also introduces challenges in physical implementation and requires extensive numerical calculations. Thus, an effective design methodology is essential to address these issues. This paper introduces a novel pixel antenna strategy that utilizes the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) and the minimum percentage of useful configurations (MPUC). As a pioneering concept, MPUC explores the impacts of switches on antenna reconfigurability and evaluates their contributions across different topologies. Dynamically assessing switches, the MPUC determines their statuses cyclically. Ultimately, the most reconfigurable antenna is achieved by optimizing switch configurations while enhancing overall reconfigurability. Leveraging WOA, the final antenna configuration is optimized and derived to meet design specifications. Additionally, a comparison is made between antenna configurations derived from traditional optimization methods and the final antenna configuration. Results reveal the superiority of the proposed method, demonstrating a threefold enhancement in design efficiency and reduced switch configurations to achieve comparable electrical performance. These findings validate the efficacy of the WOA and MPUC based strategy in effectively designing larger-scale pixel antennas.