Dual-band patch antenna for 5G NR (n48, n46, n77, n78), Wi-Fi, and indoor wireless applications

This work presents a 2-port dual-band patch antenna operating in the sub-6 GHz range, suitable for various applications, including 5G, Wi-Fi, and other indoor wireless uses. It comprises two antenna elements arranged in parallel. The antenna functions effectively across two principal frequency bands: 3.50-3.68 GHz, with simulated S₁₁ (S₂₂) values of - 27.66 dB (- 27.6 dB) for 5G NR mid-band applications, and 5.20-5.46 GHz, with simulated S₁₁ (S₂₂) values of - 31.28 dB (- 29.47 dB), accommodating 5G NR, Wi-Fi 6, and more wireless standards. The antenna features a straightforward design, including a rectangular patch and a modified ground plane incorporating a semi-elliptical split-ring slot. The individual antenna element has dimensions of 20 mm × 25 mm (0.238λ × 0.298λ at 3.57 GHz), whereas the 2-port antenna measures 50 mm × 25 mm (0.239λ × 0.597λ). Two rectangular strips interconnect both ground planes, facilitating a continuous current distribution. It also aids in reducing undesirable interference among antenna elements, hence decreasing mutual coupling. The interference among antenna elements diminishes by 24 dB in the first band and 20 dB in the second band. The antenna was designed to validate the data acquired using the high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS). The constructed prototype was validated, and the obtained findings exhibit strong concordance with the simulated predictions. The reflection coefficients (S₁₁) are less than - 22 dB at 3.50 GHz and - 26.10 dB at 5.35 GHz, although the observed isolation (S₂₁) exceeds 22 dB at 3.50 GHz and 20 dB at 5.35 GHz. The antenna exhibits excellent performance in terms of critical performance indicators, including an envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) that does not exceed 0.002 and a diversity gain (DG) of approximately 10 dB. Additionally, the total active reflection coefficient (TARC) is less than - 10 dB, with channel capacity loss (CCL) within the limit of 0.4 bits/sec/Hz and a mean effective gain (MEG) of approximately - 3 dB, which has been evaluated to confirm the suitability of the suggested antenna for diversity and spatial multiplexing features.