Minkowski–Sierpinski Fractal Structure-Inspired 2 × 2 Antenna Array for Use in Next-Generation Wireless Systems
In this paper, the design, simulation, fabrication, and characterization study of a low-cost and directional hybrid four-element (2 × 2 configuration) Minkowski–Sierpinski fractal antenna array (MSFAA) for the high-efficiency IEEE 802.11ax WLANs (Wi-Fi 6E) and the sub-6 GHz 5G wireless system is pre...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Fractal and Fractional |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/7/2/158 |
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| author | Arshad Karimbu Vallappil Bilal A. Khawaja Mohamad Kamal A. Rahim Muhammad Uzair Mohsin Jamil Qasim Awais |
| author_facet | Arshad Karimbu Vallappil Bilal A. Khawaja Mohamad Kamal A. Rahim Muhammad Uzair Mohsin Jamil Qasim Awais |
| author_sort | Arshad Karimbu Vallappil |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper, the design, simulation, fabrication, and characterization study of a low-cost and directional hybrid four-element (2 × 2 configuration) Minkowski–Sierpinski fractal antenna array (MSFAA) for the high-efficiency IEEE 802.11ax WLANs (Wi-Fi 6E) and the sub-6 GHz 5G wireless system is presented. Each element of the array is separated by 0.7 λ<sub>0</sub>. The complete four-element fractal antenna array system includes designing the single-element Minkowski–Sierpinski fractal antenna using two different substrates for performance comparison and an equal-split Wilkinson power divider (WPD) to achieve power division and to form a feed network. The single-element antenna, four-element fractal antenna array, and WPDs are fabricated using a flame-resistant (FR4) glass epoxy substrate with a dielectric constant (<i>ε<sub>r</sub></i>) of 4.3 and thickness (<i>h</i>) of 1.66 mm. For performance comparison, a high-end Rogers thermoset microwave material (TMM4) substrate is also used, having <i>ε<sub>r</sub></i> = 4.5 and <i>h</i> = 1.524mm, respectively. The designed four-element fractal antenna array operates at the dual-band frequencies of 4.17 and 5.97 GHz, respectively. The various performance parameters of the antenna array, such as return loss, bandwidth, gain, and 2D and 3D radiation patterns, are analyzed using CST Microwave Studio. The fabricated four-element antenna array provides the bandwidth and gain characteristic of 85 MHz/4.19 dB and 182 MHz/9.61 dB at 4.17 and 5.97 GHz frequency bands, respectively. The proposed antenna array design gives an improvement in the bandwidth, gain, and radiation pattern in the boresight at both frequencies. In the IEEE 802.11 ax WLANs (Wi-Fi 6E) deployments and the upcoming 5G wireless and satellite communication systems, it is critical to have directional antenna arrays to focus the radiated power in any specific direction. Therefore, it is believed that the proposed dual-band four-element fractal antenna array with directional radiation patterns can be an ideal candidate for the high-efficiency IEEE 802.11ax WLANs (Wi-Fi 6E) and the upcoming 5G wireless and satellite communication systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:48:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-72978a849d97494884df6b2429536f5f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-3110 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:48:53Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fractal and Fractional |
| spelling | doaj.art-72978a849d97494884df6b2429536f5f2023-11-16T20:36:46ZengMDPI AGFractal and Fractional2504-31102023-02-017215810.3390/fractalfract7020158Minkowski–Sierpinski Fractal Structure-Inspired 2 × 2 Antenna Array for Use in Next-Generation Wireless SystemsArshad Karimbu Vallappil0Bilal A. Khawaja1Mohamad Kamal A. Rahim2Muhammad Uzair3Mohsin Jamil4Qasim Awais5Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Madinah, P.O. Box 170, Madinah 41411, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Madinah, P.O. Box 170, Madinah 41411, Saudi ArabiaAdvance RF and Microwave Research Group (ARFMRG), School of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Bahru 81310, Johor, MalaysiaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Madinah, P.O. Box 170, Madinah 41411, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, CanadaDepartment of Electronics Engineering, Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi, Old Presidency, Rawalpindi 46000, PakistanIn this paper, the design, simulation, fabrication, and characterization study of a low-cost and directional hybrid four-element (2 × 2 configuration) Minkowski–Sierpinski fractal antenna array (MSFAA) for the high-efficiency IEEE 802.11ax WLANs (Wi-Fi 6E) and the sub-6 GHz 5G wireless system is presented. Each element of the array is separated by 0.7 λ<sub>0</sub>. The complete four-element fractal antenna array system includes designing the single-element Minkowski–Sierpinski fractal antenna using two different substrates for performance comparison and an equal-split Wilkinson power divider (WPD) to achieve power division and to form a feed network. The single-element antenna, four-element fractal antenna array, and WPDs are fabricated using a flame-resistant (FR4) glass epoxy substrate with a dielectric constant (<i>ε<sub>r</sub></i>) of 4.3 and thickness (<i>h</i>) of 1.66 mm. For performance comparison, a high-end Rogers thermoset microwave material (TMM4) substrate is also used, having <i>ε<sub>r</sub></i> = 4.5 and <i>h</i> = 1.524mm, respectively. The designed four-element fractal antenna array operates at the dual-band frequencies of 4.17 and 5.97 GHz, respectively. The various performance parameters of the antenna array, such as return loss, bandwidth, gain, and 2D and 3D radiation patterns, are analyzed using CST Microwave Studio. The fabricated four-element antenna array provides the bandwidth and gain characteristic of 85 MHz/4.19 dB and 182 MHz/9.61 dB at 4.17 and 5.97 GHz frequency bands, respectively. The proposed antenna array design gives an improvement in the bandwidth, gain, and radiation pattern in the boresight at both frequencies. In the IEEE 802.11 ax WLANs (Wi-Fi 6E) deployments and the upcoming 5G wireless and satellite communication systems, it is critical to have directional antenna arrays to focus the radiated power in any specific direction. Therefore, it is believed that the proposed dual-band four-element fractal antenna array with directional radiation patterns can be an ideal candidate for the high-efficiency IEEE 802.11ax WLANs (Wi-Fi 6E) and the upcoming 5G wireless and satellite communication systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/7/2/158fifth-generation (5G)antenna arrayMinkowskiSierpinskifractal antennaWilkinson power divider (WPD) |
| spellingShingle | Arshad Karimbu Vallappil Bilal A. Khawaja Mohamad Kamal A. Rahim Muhammad Uzair Mohsin Jamil Qasim Awais Minkowski–Sierpinski Fractal Structure-Inspired 2 × 2 Antenna Array for Use in Next-Generation Wireless Systems Fractal and Fractional fifth-generation (5G) antenna array Minkowski Sierpinski fractal antenna Wilkinson power divider (WPD) |
| title | Minkowski–Sierpinski Fractal Structure-Inspired 2 × 2 Antenna Array for Use in Next-Generation Wireless Systems |
| title_full | Minkowski–Sierpinski Fractal Structure-Inspired 2 × 2 Antenna Array for Use in Next-Generation Wireless Systems |
| title_fullStr | Minkowski–Sierpinski Fractal Structure-Inspired 2 × 2 Antenna Array for Use in Next-Generation Wireless Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Minkowski–Sierpinski Fractal Structure-Inspired 2 × 2 Antenna Array for Use in Next-Generation Wireless Systems |
| title_short | Minkowski–Sierpinski Fractal Structure-Inspired 2 × 2 Antenna Array for Use in Next-Generation Wireless Systems |
| title_sort | minkowski sierpinski fractal structure inspired 2 2 antenna array for use in next generation wireless systems |
| topic | fifth-generation (5G) antenna array Minkowski Sierpinski fractal antenna Wilkinson power divider (WPD) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/7/2/158 |
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