Linear phased meta-material incorporated patch antenna array at sub-6 GHz for 5G base stations

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article presented a four-element dual-band linear phased antenna array operating at sub-6 GHz. The single-element antenna was designed by mounting a double-negative single- layered Complementary Split Ring Resonator (SL-CSRR) on the patch and grounding with a rectangular slot and four SL-CSRR’s array; it was resonated at dual bands 3.43–3.56 GHz and 4.93–5.75 GHz and got size shrinkage of 80.45% with dimensions 0.35λx0.35λx0.028λ mm3. The proposed phased array antenna was resonated in 3.42–3.57 GHz and 4.86–5.74 GHz with central frequencies 3.49 GHz and 5.18 GHz, respectively, with respect to −10 dB impedance bandwidth. It was dimensioned with 0.35λx2.42λx0.028λ mm3. The isolation of > 16 dB, ECC < 0.1, DG ~ 10 dB, CCL < 0.15bits/s/Hz and MEG<-6 dB were achieved. The maximum gain of 8.4dBi and 10.4dBi and maximum efficiency of 81.14%, and 99.12% were achieved over the two resonated bands, respectively. The array antenna excited initially with 0° phase difference was radiated bi-directional beam focused to 0° and 180° in the pattern like a broadside array and with the change of phase difference, the structure capable to focus the beam to ± 90° like end-fire array at 3.49 GHz and it was capable to steer the beam to ± 48.6° at 5.18 GHz. These results demonstrated that the proposed phased array antenna is a good candidate to provide services at base stations for 5 G sub-6 GHz applications. The prototypes of the single-element antenna and four-element phased array antennae were fabricated and tested. The matching of simulation results with measurement one has a good commitment to similarity.