A study of basic slot antenna configurations using simulation-driven optimization

Basic configurations of slot antennas are compared using automated design optimization. The slots are excited through an open-ended 50 ohm microstrip. All configurations are compared relative the conventional rectangular slot using the following figures: minimal reflection coefficient, here at 5.5 GHz, which is the design objective; IEEE gain for the zero zenith angle which is handled as the design constrain; antenna efficiency; the largest slot antenna dimension at the final design, and the product of two largest dimensions at the final designs. It is shown that the optimized bow-tie slot, square dumbbell slot, rectangular dumbbell slot, and circular dumbbell slot are all very close in terms of reflection and radiation responses while the bow-tie slot offers the smallest maximal dimension.