Compact metamaterial antenna for UWB added to the ring introduce capacitance, which allows for the control

the ring introduce capacitance, which allows for the control of the
applications
M.M. Islam, M.T. Islam✉, M. Samsuzzaman and
M.R.I. Faruque
A compact antenna is proposed using planar-patterned metamaterial struc-
tures for ultra-wideband applications. This antenna consists of four meta-
material unit cells that simultaneously show both negative permeability
and negative permittivity on the triangular patch and three rectangular
slots on the partial ground plane fed with a microstrip line. It has a wide
bandwidth from 3.07 to 19.91 GHz for voltage standing wave ratio
(VSWR) <2 and an average gain of 5.62 dBi with a peak of 8.57 dBi
because of using planar-patterned metamaterial structures. Good agree-
ment between computations and experiments is realised convincing that
the antenna can operate over a wide bandwidth with planar-patterned
metamaterial structures and compact size (0.28λ × 0.19λ × 0.02λ).
Introduction: In the field of short-distance wireless communication, a new
opportunity has been introduced by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) with the announcement of the 3.1–10.6 GHz fre-
quency band for unlicensed radio communication. The metamaterial micro-
strip antenna is considered a promising field of research because of its
favourable features such as miniaturisation, multi-band operation, control-
lable radiation properties, low spectral power density, high data trans-
mission rate, and low cost. Depending on these advantages, metamaterial
antennas are applied for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. However,
several perspectives of metamaterial UWB antennas such as relatively com-
plicated structures, low gain, limited capability of pulse handling, and low
efficiency need to be improved. Some novel structures of metamaterials
such as split-ring resonator (SRRs) [1], complementary SRR (CSRR)
[2], transmission line (TL)-based structure [3], planar pattern [4, 5], and arti-
ficial magnetic conductor (AMC) [6] are emerging for improving the per-
formance of metamaterial antennas. For antenna miniaturisation, the CSRR
resonant characteristic of the structure. The modification is the closing of the
loop on the inner ring, which reduces the series capacitance of the SRR.
Furthermore, closing the inner ring enhances the coupling between the
outer and the inner ring, which enables a wide backward-wave passband.
The CLSs were added to the SRR structure to bring the resonance profile
within the UWB frequency range. CLSs that act as electric dipoles are
I-shaped strip lines that mimic long metallic wires. The combined structure
allows for simultaneous electric and magnetic fields and the CLS through a
parallel electric field. The two resonance mechanism allows a lower reson-
ance for the entire structure through the joint-induced current. The unit cell
is made of an FR4 substrate with a dielectric constant of 4.6 and height of
1.6 mm, which is shown in Fig. 1a. We used CST Microwave Studio soft-
ware based on finite-difference time domain (FDTD) to get the
S-parameters. The unit cell is located for testing between two waveguide
ports and perfect magnetic and electric boundaries are set on it. A perfect
magnetic conductor boundary condition is defined in the y-direction and
a perfect electric conductor in the x-direction and is excited by an electro-
magnetic plane wave in the z-direction. A transmission peak is observed at
8.4 GHz as indicated in Fig. 2a. With a view to observing the electromag-
netic characteristic of the proposed metamaterials, a Nicolson–Ross–Weir
approach has been used to extract the refractive index, permittivity, and
permeability. From Figs. 2b–d, it can be observed that the negative index
frequency region is 2–4.62, 9.56–12.98, and 14.64–19.8 GHz (refractive
index); 2–6.04, 8.82–11.32, and 14.94–19.28 GHz (permittivity); 10.08–
16.34 and 16.60–22 GHz (permeability), respectively. However, this
unit cell is said to be a metamaterial structure. The proposed antenna is
made of metamaterial unit cells arranged in a 4 × 1 array on the triangular
patch with a slotted partial ground plane. The antenna has been printed on
both sides of dielectric FR4 substrate material of 1.6 mm thickness with a
permittivity of 4.6 and loss tangent of 0.02 and the overall antenna dimen-
sion is 27.16 mm × 18.97 mm.
magnitude of S-parameter, dB

structure was modelled as an LC circuit using metamaterial characteristics 0 150

100 imaginary real
[2]. The electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure has been employed for

refractive index
–10
50
developing the impedance matching and for achieving a wide bandwidth. –20
S11
0
S21
The TL-based metamaterials structure is used in [3] for obtaining a wide –50
–30
bandwidth characteristic. Planar-pattern structures in [4, 5] and AMC in –100
[6] are proposed to attain broadband and improved gain. These above –40
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
–150
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
antennas do not cover the FCC-approved UWB range except those pro- frequency, GHz frequency, GHz
vided in [5, 6]. In this Letter, we propose a compact UWB antenna employ- a b
400
ing planar-patterned metamaterial structures. The metamaterial unit cell is 300
400
imaginary 300 imaginary
made of two capacitance-loaded strips (CLSs), a split ring, and a gapless 200 real 200
permeability

real
permittivity

100 100
ring. However, the four unit cells form a planar-pattern structure. It provides 0 0
the impedance bandwidth from 3.07 to 19.91 GHz with favourable radi- –100 –100
–200 –200
ation performances, high gain, efficiency, and good capability of pulse –300 –300
handling. The antenna formation is smooth with simple design and com- –400
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
–400
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
fortable fabrication. frequency, GHz frequency, GHz
c d

18.97
Fig. 2 S-parameters, refractive index, permeability and permittivity of
4.58 3.794 proposed unit cell
a S-parameters
3.63 0.474 b Refractive index
c Permeability
9.3
2
0.474
d Permittivity
27.17
6.498

1.29 2.72 1.896

0.517
3.45 2.64
3.23 3.50 4 4
Z 0.948 0.474 proposed no unit cell
Y simulated
0.689 3 one unit cell 3 measured
X 0.517
VSWR

3.55 two unit cells

VSWR

2 2
a b
1 1

Fig. 1 Proposed antenna layout and unit cell 0

three unit cells
0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
a Proposed UWB antenna geometric layout frequency, GHz frequency, GHz
b Unit cell a b

Metamaterial unit cell and antenna design configuration:
Planar-patterned metamaterial structures are applied in antenna design to
achieve wide bandwidth with miniaturisation, compactness with high
gain and efficiency. Fig. 1 depicts the proposed geometric layout of the pro-
posed antenna and unit cell. The initial unit cell is based on an SRR made of
two oppositely located loops: a smaller loop within a bigger one. The SRR
is a magnetically resonant structure that responds to a perpendicular mag-
netic field which can be used to create negative permeability. Splits (gaps)
Fig. 3 Comparisons of unit cell effects on VSWR, and measured and simu-
lated VSWR of proposed antenna
a Comparisons of unit cell effects on VSWR
b Measured and simulated VSWR of proposed UWB antenna
Antenna performance and analysis: This metamaterial UWB antenna has
been constructed and the simulated and measured results of VSWR are pre-
sented and explained. Table 1 contains the comparisons of the unit cell

ELECTRONICS LETTERS 6th August 2015 Vol. 51 No. 16 pp. 1222–1224

effects on the VSWR, which can be found from Fig. 3a. The antenna with no pulse are normalised with respect to the maximum level. This Figure
unit cell, one, two, and three unit cells does not cover the entire UWB range brings out the pulse of negligible distortion in terms of the peak
approved by the FCC. A proper analysis has been performed to support the value, 1. For the side-by-side x, face-to-face, and side-by-side y direction
usage of four unit cells instead of another quantity, which is clarified from configurations, the fidelity factor is 84, 89, and 86%, respectively.
Fig. 3a. Apparently, it can be observed from Fig. 3a that this proposed However, this reported antenna has a good capability of pulse handling.
antenna design with four unit cells has the best computed results in
respect of VSWR and at the same time it also covers the standard UWB fre- Table 1: Comparisons of unit cell effects on VSWR
quency range. The simulated and measured VSWR curves for the antenna Number of unit cells Covering frequency region (VSWR) (GHz)
are demonstrated in Fig. 3b. The simulated and measured impedance band- No unit cell 4.2–19.2, 21.5–22
width covers the frequency ranges from 3.15 to 20.4 GHz and from 3.07 to
One unit cell 3.2–3.7, 4.9–19.6
19.91 GHz, respectively. The normalised radiation patterns in the yz and the
Two unit cell 3.2–4.1, 5.3–19.5
xz-planes are exhibited in Fig. 4 at 3.5 and 8.3 GHz. It can be observed that
Three unit cell 3.2–19.4
nearly omnidirectional pattern is achieved at 3.5 GHz and more directional
Four unit cell 3.15–20.4
pattern at 8.3 GHz frequencies. Owing to uniform vertical surface current,
cross-polarisation approaches a dipole-like radiation pattern. The measured
1.0 1.0
cross-polarisation value is raised compared with the simulated one, because 0.8 input 0.8

normalised magnitude
normalised magnitude
0.6 0.6 face to face
of construction limitations. In our proposed design, a cross-polarisation radi- 0.4 0.4
ation label is below −35 and −14 dB in the yz-plane and −23 and −9 dB in 0.2 0.2
0 0
the xz-plane from the boresight of the antenna at 3.5 and 8.3 GHz, respect- –0.2 –0.2
–0.4 –0.4
ively, which shows better polarisation purity than the antennas reported in –0.6 –0.6
the literature [3–5]. The simulated and measured gain of the proposed –0.8
–1.0
–0.8
–1.0
antenna is shown in Fig. 5. The measured gain steadily increases and 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
time, ns time, ns
decreases with frequency and reaches its maximum level of 8.57 dBi at 1.0 1.0
side by side x
13.5 GHz with the minimum level of 2.71 dBi at 18.6 GHz and the 0.8 0.8

normalised magnitude
side by side y

normalised magnitude
0.6 0.6
average level of 5.62 dBi over the working frequency bands (3.07– 0.4 0.4
0.2 0.2
19.91 GHz), which is better than that mentioned in [4, 5]. 0 0
–0.2 –0.2
–0.4 –0.4
–0.6 –0.6
0 0
0 30 0 –0.8 –0.8
330 330 30
–10 –1.0 –1.0
–10
–20 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
300 60 –20 60
300 time, ns time, ns
–30 –30
–40 –40
270 –50 90
270 –50 90 Fig. 6 Received and input pulse in different configurations

240 120 120

Conclusion: A compact UWB antenna is proposed with planar-
240
patterned metamaterial structure. It is realised experimentally that this
210 150 210 150
180 180 antenna is matched properly to the UWB frequency range with
measured Eq measured Ef measured Eq measured Ef improved bandwidth (146.56% fractional bandwidth), average gain of
simulated Ef simulated Eq simulated Ef simulated Eq
5.62 dBi, average efficiency of 85.42%, nearly omnidirectional and
a b
dipole-like radiation patterns, which is better than the existing UWB
0 0 metamaterial antennas. The high-fidelity factor performance finds the
330 0 30 330 0 30
–10 –10 acceptable pulse handling capacity of this proposed UWB antenna.
–20 60 300 –20 60 The planar-patterned metamaterial structure and its location in the
300
–30 –30
–40 –40 antenna design ensure the compactness, miniaturisation, simplicity,
–50 90 270 –50 90
270 and potentiality of the proposed antenna for UWB applications.

240 120 240 120

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2015
210 150 210 150
180 180 Submitted: 18 June 2015 E-first: 22 July 2015
measured Eq measured Ef measured Eq measured Ef doi: 10.1049/el.2015.2131
simulated Ef simulated Eq simulated Ef simulated Eq
One or more of the Figures in this Letter are available in colour online.
c d
M.M. Islam and M.R.I. Faruque (Space Science Centre, Universiti
Fig. 4 Measured and simulated radiation patterns Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia)
a y–z plane at 3.5 GHz M.T. Islam and M. Samsuzzaman (Department of Electrical, Electronic
b x–z plane at 3.5 GHz and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi
c y–z plane at 8.3 GHz 43600, Selangor, Malaysia)
d x–z plane at 8.3 GHz
✉ E-mail: titareq@gmail.com
10 References
measured
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8
‘Composite medium with simultaneously negative permeability and per-
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gain

iaturized patch antennas loaded with complementary split-ring resona-

4 tors’, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 2012, 60, (2), pp. 772–785
3 Majedi, M.S., and Attari, A.R.: ‘A compact and broadband
metamaterial-inspired antenna’, IEEE Antennas Wirel. Propag. Lett.,
2 2013, 12, pp. 345–348
4 Li, L.-W., Li, Y.-N., Yeo, T.S., Mosig, J.R., and Martin, O.J.: ‘A broad-
0 band and high-gain metamaterial microstrip antenna’, Appl. Phys. Lett.,
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 2010, 96, (16), p. 164101
frequency, GHz 5 Pandey, G., Singh, H., Bharti, P., and Meshram, M.: ‘Metamaterial-based
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6 Elsheakh, D.N., Elsadek, H.A., Abdallah, E.A., Iskander, M.F., and
Fig. 5 Measured and simulated gain of proposed UWB antenna
Elhenawy, H.: ‘Ultrawide bandwidth umbrella-shaped microstrip mono-
Fig. 6 illustrates pulse transmission analysis in different alignments of pole antenna using spiral artificial magnetic conductor (SAMC)’, IEEE
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the proposed antenna. Note that the transmitted pulse and the received

ELECTRONICS LETTERS 6th August 2015 Vol. 51 No. 16 pp. 1222–1224