A new linearly tapered slot antenna (LTSA) with defected sides is proposed in this letter. Both sides are defected with half-dumbbell shape slots that may alter the surface current intensities on both sides. As the half-dumbbell size is increased, the 3-dB beamwidth of the proposed antenna is 4° and 6° lower in the E/H-plane, respectively, than these of the LTSA without defects. Accordingly, the measured gain is improved by up to 3.75 dB and the first side lobe level is lowered by about -10.8 dB and -5.8 dB in the E/H-planes, respectively.

A novel square patch antenna with reconfigurable circular polarization (CP) is presented in this letter. A circular slot with perturbation is placed beneath the patch. The circular slot that has an inner perturbation yields right-handed CP, but with an outer perturbation slot yields left-handed CP. Experiments show an antenna gain of 2.8 dBic and a 3-dB axial ratio bandwidth of 30 MHz which well match the corresponding simulation results.