Wideband Characteristics of a Compact T-Shaped Printed Microstrip Monopole Antenna for Sub-6 GHz Communication Systems

Abstract

The study presents the design and simulation of a microstrip patch monopole antenna for wireless communication systems operating in the frequency range below 6 GHz. In this design, a T-shaped planar radiating element is combined with a microstrip feed line and a partial ground plane to improve impedance matching and achieve wideband performance. Antenna performance characteristics are evaluated using the reflection coefficient (S11), Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR), input impedance, surface current distributions, and far-field patterns at representative frequencies. The simulated -10 dB impedance bandwidth is from 3 GHz to 6 GHz (≈ 59% fractional bandwidth), and VSWR is below 2 in the target band. The behavior of the surface currents denotes that the interaction between the radiator and the ground excites multiple modes, as did the wideband matching mechanisms in printed monopoles. The radiation patterns are very large, broadly monopole-like across the band, with the simulated maximum values of 2.79 dBi (3 GHz), 1.65 dBi (4 GHz), and 1.93 dBi (5 GHz). These features make the antenna a good solution for WLAN/WiMAX and other sub- 6 GHz wideband front ends