Design of circular polarisation microstrip patch antennas with complementary split ring resonator

A novel design of circular polarisation microstrip patch antennas based on the complementary split ring resonator is numerically evaluated and experimentally verified. The non-resonant property of complementary split ring resonator is used as an asymmetric perturbation to excite the square microstrip patch antenna for circular polarisation radiation. The detailed parameters of the complementary split ring resonator on the circular polarisation radiation are studied.     

Aperture-coupled asymmetrical c-shaped slot microstrip antenna for circular polarisation

A novel aperture-coupled, asymmetrical C-shaped slot, square microstrip antenna is proposed for circular polarisation (CP). A narrow and asymmetrical C-shaped slot, microstrip antenna is fed at the centre using an aperture coupling to obtain a CP operation. The compactness of the antenna is easily obtained by inserting a C-shaped slot. Wide CP radiation is achieved simply by making the C-shaped slot asymmetrical. With this antenna, the measured 3 dB AR bandwidth is around 3.3% and the 10 dB return loss bandwidth achieved is 16.0%. The overall antenna size is 0.48λo x 0.48λo x 0.092λo at 2.4 GHz. The proposed slot microstrip patch technology is useful to design compact, broadband, circularly polarised antennas and arrays.     

Robust Prediction of the Bandwidth of Metamaterial Antenna Using Deep Learning

The design of microstrip antennas is a complex and time-consuming process, especially the step of searching for the best design parameters. Meanwhile, the performance of microstrip antennas can be improved using metamaterial, which results in a new class of antennas called metamaterial antenna. Several parameters affect the radiation loss and quality factor of this class of antennas, such as the antenna size. Recently, the optimal values of the design parameters of metamaterial antennas can be predicted using machine learning, which presents a better alternative to simulation tools and trial-and-error processes. However, the prediction accuracy depends heavily on the quality of the machine learning model. In this paper, and benefiting from the current advances in deep learning, we propose a deep network architecture to predict the bandwidth of metamaterial antenna. Experimental results show that the proposed deep network could accurately predict the optimal values of the antenna bandwidth with a tiny value of mean-square error (MSE). In addition, the proposed model is compared with current competing approaches that are based on support vector machines, multi-layer perceptron, K-nearest neighbors, and ensemble models. The results show that the proposed model is better than the other approaches and can predict antenna bandwidth more accurately.     

Multipatches multilayered UWB microstrip antennas

The authors present multipatches multilayered ultra-wideband (UWB) microstrip antennas. The antenna comprises a driven patch radiator with five parasitic patch radiators. Two antennas with different dielectric substrate combinations are studied. The antenna with low-high-low dielectric constant substrate combination (Antenna no. 1) has an improved performance in terms of impedance bandwidth, gain, overall antenna size and beam-squinting over the antenna with low-low-low dielectric constant substrate combination (Antenna no. 2). The low-high-low dielectric constant combination consisting of three dielectric substrates, namely low dielectric constant (ϵr = 3.38) for both bottom and upper substrate but, high dielectric constant (ϵr = 6.15) for middle substrate. Five parasitic patches and multi-dielectric layers are used for wide impedance bandwidth and less boresight gain variation with frequency. A measured 10 dB return loss bandwidth of 48% with boresight gain .5.0 dBi is achieved. Antenna no. 1 can have 8% wider impedance bandwidth, 40% overall area reduction and less beam-squinting compared with Antenna no. 2.     

Analysis and design of broadband U-slot cut rectangular microstrip antennas

Broadband microstrip antenna using variations of U-slot has been widely reported. However, in most of the reported work, an in-depth explanation about the mode introduced by U-slot and procedure to design U-slot cut antennas at any given frequency is not explained. In this paper, first an extensive analysis to study the broadband response in symmetrical and a new configuration of asymmetrical U-slot cut rectangular microstrip antennas is presented. The U-slot tunes higher-order orthogonal mode resonance frequency of the patch with respect to fundamental mode to realise wider bandwidth. Further formulation in resonant length at modified patch modes in symmetrical U-slot cut antenna is proposed. Frequencies calculated using these formulations show closer agreement with simulated and measured results. Using proposed formulations, a procedure to design U-slot cut antenna at different frequencies over 800–4000 MHz range which shows broadband response is explained. Thus, the proposed work gives an insight into the functioning of widely used U-slot cut antennas and the formulations will be helpful for designing at any given frequency.     

Wideband microstrip antennas with sandwich substrate

A broadband microstrip antenna with low?high?low (sandwich) dielectric constant substrate combination using a microstrip line-via feed is presented for ultra-wideband applications. The proposed antenna consists of three dielectric substrates; low dielectric constant substrates that contain the microstrip feed line as well as parasitic patches and a high dielectric constant substrate that contains the driven patch. To achieve a large impedance bandwidth, parasitic patches and microstrip line-via combination feed to the driven patch in the multilayered microstrip antenna are used. The proposed antenna designed, fabricated and measured on the sandwich substrate. The antenna has measured 10 dB return loss bandwidth of 46.9% and directive gain .5.2 dBi at boresight across the impedance bandwidth. The total height of antenna is 5.77 mm or 0.077λ ^{at 4 GHz.}     

Dual layer stacked rectangular microstrip patch antenna for ultra wideband applications

An antenna consisting of a U-slotted rectangular microstrip patch stacked with another patch of a different size on a separate layer is presented and its performance results are investigated. An equivalent circuit model of this stacked patch design structure is also presented based on an extended cavity model to predict the input impedance. The theoretical input impedance is evaluated from this circuit model and the experimental results support the validity of the model. In this case, stacking with a simple patch adds another resonance to the antenna thus providing a wider bandwidth. The dimension of the top patch is optimised to achieve ultra wide bandwidth. A maximum impedance bandwidth of 56.8% is achieved using this structure, and the return loss |S₁₁|of the antenna is less than -10 dB between 3.06 and 5.49 GHz and the radiation patterns are found to be relatively constant throughout the band. A coaxial feed with Gaussian modulated pulse is used for this antenna.     

Compact wideband multi-layer cylindrical dielectric resonator antennas

Homogenous dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) have been studied widely and their bandwidth have been reached to the possible upper limit. A new non-homogenous DRA, multilayer cylindrical DRA (MCDRA), is designed and fabricated to achieve wider bandwidth. The antennas consist of three different dielectric discs, one on top of the other. Two different excitation mechanisms are studied here. As much as 66% of impedance bandwidth with a broadside radiation pattern has been demonstrated using a 50 Omega coaxial probe placed off the antenna axis. More than 32% of impedance with a broadside radiation pattern has been achieved when the antenna is excited by an aperture coupled 50 Omega microstrip feedline. Mode analysis is carried out to investigate the natural resonance behaviours of the MCDRA structure.     

Edge-fed cavity backed patch antennas and arrays

A new edge-fed patch antenna that mitigates spurious radiation issues when thick substrates are used to create the antenna is presented. The radiator can be classified as an edge-fed cavity backed patch. Here, a thin substrate is used to develop the microstrip feed line, thereby ensuring the track widths are small and subsequently decreasing spurious feed radiation. The patch radiator utilises the thick substrate employed in the cavity ensuring reasonable return loss bandwidth can be achieved. A single element and a 2 x 2 array have been designed, fabricated and tested using the proposed technique and it has been shown that significant reduction in pattern distortion and increase in gain can be achieved compared to conventional edge-fed microstrip patch configurations. Because of the thin tracks used to feed the radiators, the new technique is very applicable to large arrays of microstrip patches where the area consumed by the distribution network must be minimised to ensure good radiation performance.     

Some potential antenna applications of high-temperature superconductors

A review of possible applications of high-temperature superconductors (HTS) to antennas and antenna feed networks is presented. The frequency range of consideration is 1 MHz to 100 GHz. Three antenna application areas seem appropriate for HTS material. (1)Electrically small antennas and their matching networks: An increase in efficiency is possible for electrically short antennas, but at the expense of bandwidth. Substantial radiated power levels (on the order of kilowatts) can be handled by the best HTS material. Substantial improvement may be realized by making only the matching network of HTS material. (2)Feed and matching networks for compact arrays with enhanced directive gain (superdirective arrays): HTS material should permit such arrays to be fabricated that have high efficiency. (3)Feed networks for millimeter-wave arrays: Low-loss feed networks using HTS microstrip transmission lines give many decibels improvement in gain.     

Superstrate effects on slot-coupled microstrip antennas

An analysis for studying the superstrate (cover) effects on the slot-coupled microstrip antennas is presented. The approach is based on the reciprocity theorem and uses the grounded double- and single-layer dielectric slab Green's functions in a moment method solution for the unknown slot fields and patch currents. From these fields and currents, various characteristics of the antenna can be extracted, such as the radiation efficiency, directivity, input impedance, and resonant frequency. Numerical calculations showing superstrate effects on these antenna characteristics are presented. The input matches obtained from proper adjustment of the slot and patch dimensions are discussed.<>     

Effect of conductive yarn crimp in radiation patch on electromagnetic performance of 3D integrated microstrip antenna

A three-dimensionally integrated microstrip antenna (3DIMA) is a microstrip antenna woven into the three-dimensional woven composite for load bearing while functioning as an antenna. In this study, the effect of conductive yarn crimp on electromagnetic performance of 3DIMAs are investigated by designing, simulating and experimental testing of two microstrip antennas with different patch woven structures: one woven in plain weave pattern with most yarn crimp and the other woven orthogonally without yarn crimp. The measured voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the crimp free 3DIMA was 1.05 at the resonant frequency of 1.31 GHz; while that of the crimped 3DIMA was 1.78 at the resonant frequency of 1.41 GHz. In addition, the measured radiation pattern of the crimp free 3DIMA in its radiating patch has smaller back lobe and side lobes than those of the crimped 3DIMA. This result indicates that yarn crimp may have a negative impact on electromagnetic performance of textile structural antennas.     

Wideband multilayered microstrip antennas fed by coplanar waveguide-loop with and without via combinations

Coplanar waveguide (CPW)-loop fed wideband multilayered microstrip antennas with and without via combinations are presented. The antenna consists of two dielectric substrates, CPW-loop on the ground plane layer, main patch on the middle layer and four asymmetric parasitic patches on the upper layer. The feed consists of a CPW, a loop on a ground plane and a via between main patch and feeding strip on the ground plane layer. Using via, the gain flatness over the impedance bandwidth and return loss are improved. The proposed antenna with four feeding structures is also studied. The 10 dB return loss bandwidths of the antenna with and without via are 34% (3.12? 4.41 GHz) and 33.7% (3.18 ?4.47 GHz), respectively. The measured gain is >5.0 dBi over the impedance bandwidth.     

Solution‐Processed Ti3C2Tx MXene Antennas for Radio‐Frequency Communication

Highly integrated, flexible, and ultrathin wireless communication components are in significant demand due to the explosive growth of portable and wearable electronic devices in the fifth‐generation (5G) network era, but only conventional metals meet the requirements for emerging radio‐frequency (RF) devices so far. Here, it is reported on Ti₃C₂T_x MXene microstrip transmission lines with low‐energy attenuation and patch antennas with high‐power radiation at frequencies from 5.6 to 16.4 GHz. The radiation efficiency of a 5.5 µm thick MXene patch antenna manufactured by spray‐coating from aqueous solution reaches 99% at 16.4 GHz, which is about the same as that of a standard 35 µm thick copper patch antenna at about 15% of its thickness and 7% of the copper weight. MXene outperforms all other materials evaluated for patch antennas to date. Moreover, it is demonstrated that an MXene patch antenna array with integrated feeding circuits on a conformal surface has comparable performance with that of a copper antenna array at 28 GHz, which is a target frequency in practical 5G applications. The versatility of MXene antennas in wide frequency ranges coupled with the flexibility, scalability, and ease of solution processing makes MXene promising for integrated RF components in various flexible electronic devices.     

Effect of Wire Space and Weaving Pattern on Performance of Microstrip Antennas Integrated in the Three Dimensional Orthogonal Woven Composites

A conformal load-bearing antenna structure (CLAS) combines the antenna into a composite structure such that it can carry the designed load while functioning as an antenna. Novel microstrip antennas woven into the three dimensional orthogonal woven composite were proposed in our previous study. In order to determine the effect of the space between the conductive wires on the antenna performance, different space ratios of 1.7, 2.3 and 4.6 were considered in the design. Simulation results showed that when the space ratio increased, the frequency shift and return loss of the corresponding antenna became larger. And the antenna had relatively good performance when the space ratio reached 1.7. Two types of antennas were designed and fabricated with the ratio of 1.7 and 1 respectively and both of them obtained agreeable results. It was also demonstrated by the experimental that the orthogonal structure patch antenna had similar radiation pattern with the traditional copper foil microstrip antenna. However, the interlaced patch antenna had large back and side lobes in the radiation pattern because the existence of the curvature of copper wires in interlaced coupons lowered the reflective efficiency of the ground.     

Low radar cross-section and high performances of microstrip antenna using fractal uniplanar compact electromagnetic bandgap ground

By using surrounding periodic second-uniplanar compact electromagnetic bandgap (UC-EBG) ground plane, a microstrip patch antenna working at X-band with low radar cross-section (RCS) and high performance was designed. The main parameters such as return loss, impedance bandwidth, RCS, radiation patterns and gains are presented and discussed. Comparison of the patch antenna with the surrounding periodic second-UC-EBG ground suggests that the second-UC-EBG has much lower RCS than the standard patch antenna at a band range 2-18 GHz. In addition, gain, bandwidth and radiation patterns of the former are all improved when compared with those of the latter.     

Computation of resonant frequency of annular microstrip antenna loaded with multiple shorting posts

Shorting post loaded annular microstrip antenna is of considerable interest. Recent works have presented formulations for annular microstrip patch with a shorting post located at the centre of a circular disc, thereby converting the structure to an annular ring with a centre shot. A theoretical formulation for multiple post loading (up to ten posts) of an annular patch is presented. The posts are located away from the centre of the patch and are thin in diameter with respect to the diameter of the ring. The formulation accurately predicts resonant frequency. For an accurate formulation, the shorting posts have been considered as inductive impedances at the frequency of interest. It is shown that for a short loaded ring, TM₀₁ is the dominant mode. The simple tool presented can be suitably modified to incorporate switching diodes or varactor diodes.     

Size reduction and bandwidth enhancement of snowflake fractal antenna

A new small-size and wideband fractal antenna in the shape of a snowflake is proposed. Various iterations of this fractal antenna with probe feed and capacitively coupled feed are compared and an optimised design is presented. It is shown that, with an air-filled substrate and capacitive feed, an impedance bandwidth >49% and, with a slot-loading technique, a reduction of about 70% in patch surface size compared with an ordinary wideband Koch fractal antenna are achievable. The simulation via a finite-element programme, and measured results on the return loss and the E and H-plane radiation patterns of the proposed antennas are presented and shown to be in good agreement.     

Compensated circuit with characteristics of lossless double negative materials and its application to array antennas

A compensated circuit showing the characteristics of lossless double negative (DNG) materials is proposed and applied to an active integrated antenna array. A properly selected matching circuit produces the phase advance, which is characteristic of a left-handed wave (backward-wave), and the lossy resonant circuit generates the negative group velocity. An amplifier is used to compensate for the inherent loss of the resonant circuit, including its resistor. Then, a series-fed antenna array with a proposed DNG circuit is also designed and fabricated. It consists of two subarrays, each made of two aperture-coupled patch antennas, and the DNG circuit block inserted between the subarrays. In comparison to a conventional array, without the DNG circuit whose two subarrays are connected directly by a microstrip line, the proposed array shows a negligible beam squint and flat gain, over a considerable bandwidth of 11%     

Compact active integrated microstrip antennas with circular polarisation diversity

A compact active integrated microstrip antenna with circular polarisation (CP) diversity for a global positioning system (GPS) receiver is presented. As a radiator, a diamond-shaped micro- strip ring patch with four embedded slots has been newly proposed to realise wide impedance bandwidth, compact size and dual CP. The active circuitry, consisting of both switching circuits and a small signal amplifier, is placed at the square opening inside the radiator. Thus, all electrical parts are mounted on the top layer of the circuit board. CP diversity is achieved by the switching circuit, and its output signal is amplified. The proposed antenna has been simulated and fabricated on the FR-4 PCB board. The size of the fabricated active antenna, including the radiator and active circuitry, is only about 57% of a conventional square-microstrip antenna with a side of half wavelength. From the measured radiation patterns and CP bandwidth for either polarisation selection, it is proven that this antenna has successfully performed the polarisation diversity. In addition, the measured minimum antenna gain of 12 dBi is estimated to be good enough to improve the GPS receiver performance.