Multistable Structures for Deployable and Reconfigurable Antennas

This paper presents the integration of multi-stable structures in deployable antennas to reconfigure their performance characteristics. The integration of the multi-stability of structures into electromagnetic antenna designs from the outset results in minimizing the need for actuation mechanisms and renders the reconfiguration passive. Furthermore, the paper delves into the mechanical aspects of multi-stability, describing how materials with strain energy storage can exhibit multiple stable states due to pre-stress. It discusses various multi-stability mechanisms, including fiber-reinforced polymer composites and tape springs, which enable antennas to achieve stable geometric configurations. The paper also provides examples of bi-stable reconfigurable deployable antennas and explores the broader potential of multi-stable structures in shape-morphing surfaces for future communication applications.