Broadband patch antenna with a T-shaped probe

A single-layered broadband patch antenna with a T-shaped feeding probe is studied experimentally. With a supporting foam substrate of thickness around 0.1 /spl lambda//sub 0/, a rectangular patch antenna with bandwidth (SWR/spl les/2) of 40%, and average gain of 7 dBi is designed. Such wideband and high gain performance is confirmed by simulation using Ensemble. Furthermore, by introducing a second identical T-probe, which is fed out of phase with the original probe, the cross-polarisation of the H-plane is reduced substantially. The patch antenna with 2 T-shaped probes also maintains an impedance bandwidth (SWR/spl les/2) of 41% and average gain of 6.5 dBi. Stable radiation patterns are observed across the passbands.