Coplanar Dual-Band Base Station Antenna Array Using Concept of Cavity-Backed Antennas

Abstract

In this article, we propose a novel reflector-back cavity-low-band (LB)/high-band (HB) configuration for the dual-band dual-polarized base station antenna array design. The HB antennas are embedded in the opening sections of the loop radiating arms of the LB antennas. Clear and independent radiating environments are fulfilled by using two different types of reflectors (large planar reflector and back cavity). The mutual effects between the LB and HB antennas help to acquire good impedance matching and stable radiation patterns. Loop-like LB radiators work as directors in the HB, thereby effectively suppressing the side and back radiations of the HB antennas. Dual-function open slots are loaded on the ground stubs of the LB baluns, serving as impedance transformer in the LB but filtering structures in the HB. The experimental results validate that the proposed antenna array successfully covers bandwidths of 0.69–0.96 and 3.3–3.8 GHz (VSWR < 1.5) for 4G/5G applications. The port isolations are higher than 38 and 25 dB in the LB and HB, respectively. With the two independent radiating environments formed in the two bands, both LB and HB antennas exhibit stable unidirectional radiation patterns. The antenna gains and HPBWs are also satisfactory in both bands.