Microstrip patch antenna with defected ground structure for cross polarization suppression

A defected ground structure (DGS) is proposed to reduce the cross-polarized (XP) radiation of a microstrip patch antenna. The proposed DGS pattern is simple and easy to etch on a commercial microstrip substrate. This will only reduce the XP radiation field without affecting the dominant mode input impedance and co-polarized radiation patterns of a conventional antenna. The new concept has been examined and verified experimentally for a particular DGS pattern employing a circular patch as the radiator. Both simulation and experimental results are presented.