A Compact and Lightweight Microstrip Antenna Array with Wilkinson Power Divider for X-band Application at 9.5 GHz

In this paper, a two-element microstrip antenna array with a compatible 1:2 Wilkinson Power Divider operating at 9.5 GHz for X-band application is presented. The design, simulation and optimization of this work are performed using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio. The proposed design is shown to exhibit good simulation performances with return loss of -38.21 dB, bandwidth of 493 MHz, and gain of 7.08 dB. Coupled with the antenna array, a 1:2 Wilkinson Power Divider is then designed, simulated and optimized. The simulation result of the power divider exhibits three modes of resonance at 8.0-8.5 GHz, 9.09-10.28 GHz and 11.2-11.5 GHz. The operating frequency at 9.5 GHz resulted an equal power division with insertion loss less than 3.68 dB and less mutual coupling as the isolation factor is at 16.23 dB. The antenna array and Wilkinson Power Divider configuration produced an overall dimension of 83.14 mm × 67.34 mm, which realized a portable solution for the parabolic reflector antenna.

I. Introduction

Parabolic reflector antennas have been one of the main choices for most of telecommunication usage for the past decades [1]. This is due to its ability to modify the radiation pattern of the radiating element by increasing the gain and directivity of the antenna [2]. However, evolvement in the military usage in the X-band range (8-12 GHz) requires an antenna that is compact, lightweight and portable, where it can be transported in backpacks or conformed on moving stations such as jib, automobile, aircraft or ship [3]. It was also mentioned by [3] that these antennas are very heavy and bulky, which is impossible to be mounted on a moving vehicle. The typical dimensions of the parabolic reflector antennas that were used for X-band application can reach up a dimension of 0.85–1.2m, and a weight up to 70 kg (Fig. 1) [4]. Also, this exclude the positioned case that can reach a weight of up to 40 kg, which is required to be used together with the parabolic reflector antenna (Fig. 1) [4].