Design of Wideband High-Gain Patch Antenna Array for High-Temperature Applications

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Electromagnetics
• Antenna Theory

Background:

• Microstrip patch antennas are widely used but often face limitations in bandwidth and gain.
• High-temperature variations can significantly degrade antenna performance, limiting their operational environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a low-profile, wideband, high-gain antenna array robust against high temperatures.
• To design and validate a novel double-H-shaped slot microstrip patch radiating element.

Main Methods:

• Design and simulation of a double-H-shaped slot microstrip patch antenna element.
• Fabrication of a 4x4 planar antenna array with a flexible power divider.
• Experimental characterization including S-parameters, gain, and radiation patterns under varying temperatures (-50°C to 150°C).

Main Results:

• The antenna element achieved a 41.3% fractional bandwidth (FBW) and 10.2 dBi peak gain.
• The 4x4 array demonstrated a peak gain of 19.1 dBi at 15.5 GHz.
• Measured results showed a 39.4% FBW and 18.7 dBi peak gain, with stable performance from -50°C to 150°C.

Conclusions:

• The proposed double-H-shaped slot antenna array offers a promising solution for wideband, high-gain applications requiring thermal stability.
• The design successfully addresses limitations of conventional microstrip antennas in terms of bandwidth and temperature resilience.