Design of a compact broadband antenna using characteristic mode analysis for microwave applications

A compact broadband antenna of dimensions 27 mm x 28 mm x 1.6 mm and with good impedance matching is designed for high-bandwidth radio systems with a short range. To improve the impedance matching, two rectangular slots are created on the radiating element and the ground plane size is reduced to extend the ultra-wideband frequency band. The antenna bandwidth and radiation performance are analyzed using characteristic mode theory (TCM). The performance is compared to the desired specifications and the shape and size are modified to produce efficient radiation and dominant radiation patterns. The findings clearly demonstrate that the six modes are resonant with (?(n)=0). This implies that the eigenvalues of the six modes contribute strongly to dominant electromagnetic radiation and have high modal significance values around 1 at their respective frequencies. Furthermore, the characteristic angle indicates that the antenna resonates at 180 & DEG;, since the six modes intersect the axis line at 180 & DEG; at their respective frequencies. Experimental results show a bandwidth of 109.7% between 5.64 and 19.34 GHz, a maximum gain of 6.3 dB and a maximum efficiency of approximately 86.5%. These results make this antenna a versatile and effective choice for a wide variety of communications and electronic applications and easy to install in narrow spaces due to its easy design characteristics, small size and light weight.