Miniaturization of microstrip patch antennas (MPAs) is
vital in
applications such as wireless networks, mobile devices, global positioning
satellites, and upcoming wireless terminals. This miniaturization
has led to a demand for new materials with higher permittivity compared
to the existing ones. Zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) ceramic is an exceptional and versatile material in this context,
thanks to its high dielectric permittivity and low tangent loss, making
it suitable for microwave applications. This article explores the
feasibility of sol–gel-prepared Ca-doped ZnAl2O4 ceramic nanoparticles to be useful in fabricating a MPA.
These nanoparticles were examined using X-ray diffraction, which confirmed
their polycrystalline structure, and the morphological investigation
evidenced the spherical grains having a mean diameter of 16 nm. The
dielectric permittivity of the ZnAl2O4Ca nanoparticles
is 21.11, with a tangential loss of 0.0247. A prototype MPA made by
using Ca-doped ZnAl2O4 nanoparticles showed
a return loss of −20.92 dB at a resonance frequency of 6.8
GHz with a bandwidth of 600 MHz. These results indicate that Ca-doped
ZnAl2O4 ceramic nanoparticles possess exceptional
dielectric characteristics, which make them a promising candidate
for MPA applications.