Dual band hybrid antenna for wireless local area network application

Abstract

Recently, research on dual band antennas has done with a tremendous development in Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) application especially in the 2.4 GHz ISM band and 5 GHz UNII band. This paper describes the design of Dual Band Hybrid Antenna with a combination of Dielectric Resonator Antenna (DRA) and Microstrip Circular Antenna (MCA). Aim of the project is to design a dual band hybrid antenna which will be operating in the WLAN band, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g. The project covers two bands of WLAN that has been allocated by MCMC (Malaysian Communication & Multimedia Commission) for operating frequency from 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz and 5.725 GHz to 5.875 GHz. The DRA and MCA dimensions will be determined using equation of single element patch antenna and optimized by simulation using CST Microwave Studio 2009. In general, hybrid antenna was designed successfully with sufficient return loss and bandwidth in simulation and measurement. Through simulation and optimization, both DRA and MCA were finally being combined together as a hybrid antenna with 3 different techniques. Although there is very tough to find matching impedance for the feeding point, yet it still produced a better result both in simulation and measurement. Results shows from simulation return loss for both dual bands are slightly shifted to the lower and higher of desired resonant frequency, depending on the methods of combination. But still meet the criteria of hybrid antenna design specification. Measured results also demonstrated the result of return loss for all three types of hybrid antenna showing the dual bands operating frequency shifted a little bit, doubting affect from fabrication and measurement process. Nevertheless, it’s still can be used in application of WLAN. In fact, there is still lot of area need to have an improvement, especially in the on the combination part, as this designed can be initial step for microstrip and DRA antenna designer for further development process.