Multi Element Microstrip Antenna Arrays Using Electromagnetic Band Gap Structures

Abstract

This paper discusses the improvement in the performance of two, four and eight element microstrip antenna array using Electromagnetic Band Gap structures. The antenna arrays are designed at 6 GHz. The dielectric substrate used is FR-4 glass epoxy with dielectric constant of 4.2 and loss tangent of 0.0245. The two element conventional antenna array is producing bandwidth of 2.35 % and gain of 5.06 dB. The modified two element antenna array is producing greater bandwidth of 61.12 % and higher gain 8.34 dB. The four element conventional antenna array is producing bandwidth of 4.89 % and gain of 6.81 dB. The modified four element antenna array is producing improved bandwidth of 73.39 % and gain of 11.09 dB. The eight element conventional antenna array is producing bandwidth of 4.98 % and gain of 7.44 dB. The modified eight element antenna array is producing enhanced bandwidth of 85.74 % and healthier gain of 13.77 dB. All the modified microstrip antenna arrays show appreciable decrease in mutual coupling compared to their respective conventional antenna arrays. The radiation characteristics of the modified antenna arrays depict good reduction in back lobe radiation. The antenna arrays are designed using IE3D simulation software and measured results are obtained using vector network analyzer.