Wideband constant beamwidth coplanar waveguide‐fed slot antennas using metallic strip loadings and a widened tuning stub with shaped reflectors

Sectored antennas with wideband operation for wireless communication systems are presented. The proposed configurations are based on a coplanar waveguide fed slot antenna using metallic strip loadings and a widened tuning stub above various reflector shapes. By shaping the reflector, noticeable enhancements in both unidirectional radiation pattern and beamwidth can be achieved while maintaining the simple fabrication and installation. Based on the results obtained, three sector antennas covering 72°, 90°, and 120° beamwidths suitable for five, four, and three sectors, respectively, have been proposed and designed. The simple structural configurations, low cost, and ease of half power beamwidth control of the proposed antennas make the design very attractive for practical implementation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2011.