CLIP antenna for wireless bluetooth applications

In this paper, a novel design for a coplanar waveguide antenna is developed that consists of two U-shaped slots. The antenna is named CLIP. The antenna was designed for a central frequency of 2.4 GHz, with an input impedance of 50 Ω. The antenna dimensions represent a 72% size reduction compared to a conventional microstrip rectangular-patch antenna. The measured antenna bandwidth was about 11%, while its gain was about 17 dB. These values are fairly acceptable in all wireless communication systems. The antenna configuration has a bidirectional radiation pattern, while a unidirectional radiation pattern was achieved by using a λ₀/4 reflector with a metal plate. A 2×2 multi-element sub array was implemented to widen the application area. The mutual coupling between adjacent elements was low. Orthogonal-plane coupling between adjacent elements was introduced to increase the reduction in the mutual coupling. The mutual coupling level was reduced to less than -23 dB in all coupling planes. The CLIP antenna element and arrays were fabricated. Experimental measurements showed very good performance, which agreed well with simulation results.