A novel method to improve the performance of microstrip antenna arrays using a dumbbell EBG structure

Abstract

A double element microstrip antenna array inserted with a newly developed electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structure has been investigated, showing that the S21 transmission coefficient between the elements is reduced by around 4 dB. As a result, sidelobe levels are reduced by 1.8 to 2.1 dB and an increase of 1 dB in the gain has been achieved, without much change in other characteristics. Using the EBG structure has proved to be a convenient way to upgrade the performance of an antenna array.