Design and Analysis of Hybrid Inset Feed and Probe Feed Microstrip Patch Antenna Array for Sub-6GHz Applications

This research work presents the design and comparative analysis of the performance of a hybrid feed 64 elements low-profile rectangular microstrip patch antenna (RMPA) array on a low-cost FR-4 substrate of thickness 1.6mm to achieve high gain and directivity at 3.5 GHz frequency. At Sub-6 GHz band a single RMPA, 2×2, 4×4, and 8×8 array is designed, and a T-junction equal power splitting power divider is used to feed the array network. The overall size of the proposed 8×8 array is 550×550×1.6mm
³
and it achieves the highest gain among all also achieves a directivity of 25.01 dBi, outperforming 2×2, 4×4 arrays, and an RMPA. The hybrid feeding mechanism, which includes inset feeding and probe feeding was found to achieve a wider bandwidth and a more uniform radiation pattern, making it a promising option for advanced antenna arrays. On analyzing the proposed arrays in terms of reflection coefficient, VSWR, gain, directivity, and radiation patterns, it was found that the gain and directivity increased and side lobe levels (SLL) decreased with the increasing number of elements in the array. This study’s results can guide the design and optimization of RMPAs for various applications in wireless communication systems such as satellite communication, wireless sensor networks, and radar systems.