Resistively loaded slotted microstrip patch antenna with controllable bandwidth

Abstract

This article demonstrates an alternative way of controllable resistive loading in microstrip patch antenna in order to increase its bandwidth. As microstrip patch antenna is a high Q structure, thereby narrow bandwidth, resistive loading (introducing lossy lumped element inside the antenna structure) is considered as potential technique for improving bandwidth. Instead of conventional resistive loading i.e placing resistance of desired value across the substrate an alternative technique of resistive loading is proposed. Here resistances are connected across the slots of microstrip patch antenna. This method of resistive loading is easy and controllable. Resistive loading is performed on a dual slot rectangular microstrip patch antenna. Behavior of the loaded structure for different resistance values and different slot positions has been studied. A significant improvement in the bandwidth of slotted microstrip patch antenna has been achieved at the expense of gain. This antenna is designed to operate in the frequency range of (2.4/2.5GHz) which partially covers WiFi and WiMax frequency range.