Computer-aided design of electromagnetically-coupled and tuned, wide band microstrip patch antennas

It has been demonstrated, both experimentally and analytically, that a two-layer, electromagnetically coupled microstrip patch antenna has a wider bandwidth than a conventional patch. Since the feed network in this case is placed on a much thinner substrate, spurious radiation can be greatly minimized without degrading the performance of the patch antenna itself. However, unlike the conventional one-layer design. the two-layer configuration requires additional matching or ´tuning´ elements. Ideally, these elements should be placed either under or in the immediate vicinity of the patch; however, the unknown nature of the mutual coupling between them and the antenna has so far prevented the actual implementation in this manner. In the present work, the authors discuss an accurate numerical modeling of the two-layer structure and then consider the computer-aided design of such an antenna.<>