A Novel Low-Cost Compact High-Performance Flower-Shaped Radiator Design for Modern Smartphone Applications

Abstract

This manuscript examines the design principle and real-world validation of a new miniaturized high-performance flower-shaped radiator (FSR). The antenna prototype consists of an ultracompact square metallic patch of 0.116λ0 × 0.116λ0 (λ0 is the free space wavelength at 3.67 GHz), a rectangular microstrip feed network, and a partial metal ground plane. A novel, effective, and efficient approach based on open circuit loaded stubs is employed to achieve the antenna’s optimal performance features. Rectangular, triangular, and circular disc stubs were added to the simple structure of the square radiator, and hence, the FSR configuration was formed. The proposed antenna was imprinted on a low-cost F4B laminate with low profile thickness of 0.018λ0, relative permittivity εr = 2.55, and dielectric loss tangent δ = 0.0018. The designed radiator has an overall small size of 0.256λ0 × 0.354λ0. The parameter study of multiple variables and their influence on the performance results has been extensively studied. Moreover, the impact of different substrate materials, impedance bandwidths, resonance tuning, and impedance matching has also been analyzed. The proposed antenna model has been designed, simulated, and fabricated. The designed antenna exhibits a wide bandwidth of 5.33 GHz ranging from 3.67 to 9.0 GHz at 10 dB return loss, which resulted in an 83.6% fractional impedance bandwidth; a maximum gain of 7.3 dBi at 8.625 GHz; optimal radiation efficiency of 89% at 4.5 GHz; strong intensity current flow across the radiator; and stable monopole-like far-field radiation patterns. Finally, a comparison between the scientific results and newly published research has been provided. The antenna’s high-performance simulated and measured results are in a good agreement; hence, they make the proposed antenna an excellent choice for modern smartphones’ connectivity with the sub-6 GHz frequency spectrum of modern fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication application.