Gain Enhancement of Metamaterial Inspired-DGS based UWB Antenna for Wireless Communication

Abstract

This paper presents a novel design of a compact ultra-wideband (UWB) square patch antenna, integrating a metamaterial-inspired (MTM-I) and a defected ground structure (DGS), achieving significant performance enhancements. Conventional DGS-based UWB antennas often experience low gain, which limits their operational range and effectiveness. To overcome this limitation, the proposed UWB antenna design integrates an MTM-I structure with DGS on the same plane, resulting in a remarkable gain enhancement of 24.90%, from 7.85 dBi to reaching a peak gain of 9.05 dBi comparing with the UWB antenna without MTM-I. This enhancement is attributed to the MTM-I structure role as a passive reflector, improving signal directionality and radiation efficiency. The antenna demonstrates a wide operational frequency range of 2.29 GHz to 12 GHz, making it suitable for various high-frequency applications. Fabricated on an FR4 substrate with compact dimensions of 48 mm × 38 mm × 1.6 mm, the antenna offers an optimal balance of size, efficiency, and bandwidth. The novelty of this work resides in the co-planar integration of MTM-I and DGS within a compact UWB patch antenna, optimize to achieve substantial gain enhancement without an increase in size. Its robust performance makes it a viable candidate for use in wireless communication systems, radar applications, and tracking systems, where high gain, broad bandwidth, and compact size are critical.