Abstract
This paper presents a technique to design strongly coupled planar arrays with very high aperture efficiency. The key innovation is that, based on an irregular 2 × 1 array, very compact medium-sized arrays of size 2 × 2, 2 × 4, and 2 × 6 are constructed with very strong and constructive mutual coupling between the elements. In this way, a maximum aperture efficiency is reached for a given footprint of the array. The occupied space of the antenna in comparison with conventional linear patch arrays is studied. A prototype 2 × 4 array operating around 5.8 GHz is designed, fabricated, built, and measured. The results show a large bandwidth of 20% and a very high aperture efficiency of 100%, which is the largest found in the literature for similarly sized arrays. These results are important in view of the future Internet of Things, where small and medium-sized arrays are planned to be mounted on numerous devices where a very limited physical area is available.
Highlights
In this paper, the mutual coupling will be constructively used as a tool to reduce the footprint of the antenna, and thereby increase the aperture efficiency, while keeping a considerable bandwidth, as required by modern-day applications
It is worth emphasizing that the two patches should be as close as possible in order to achieve a high aperture efficiency
It is clearly seen that the proposed antenna arrays have a higher aperture efficiency and bandwidth for similar radiation efficiencies
Summary
In this paper, the mutual coupling will be constructively used as a tool to reduce the footprint of the antenna, and thereby increase the aperture efficiency, while keeping a considerable bandwidth, as required by modern-day applications. The strategy is to modify the shape of the patches and microstrip line in such a way that the in-phase current is maintained as much as possible, but with a much smaller footprint This can be achieved by constructively using the stronger mutual coupling between the two modified elements. It is worth emphasizing that the two patches should be as close as possible in order to achieve a high aperture efficiency To bring about this goal, the length of the microstrip line connecting the two patches needs to be decreased. Additional requirements for this line are that the antenna should be matched, and both patches should be excited
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