Fractal antenna design for radio navigation and fixed satellite frequency bands

Abstract

Over the last few years, the great progress in wireless technology is seen which have dominated the advancement in technology and also created new requirements for different integrated components including antenna. The key goal is to produce small and multi- functional devices. In case of Radio Navigation Services -RNSs as well as in Fixed Satellite Services - FSSs, the situation becomes even more demanding in respect of these requirements. As RNSs and FSSs works in different frequency bands in different region of world, it demands multiband antenna. To achieve this goal, the two limitations of conventional antennas a. fixed frequency operation and b. dependence of performance of antenna on the antenna electrical size have to be solved. Researchers and scientists have been working continuously to solve these limitations of conventional antennas and many different technologies like meander structure, fractal structure, engineered ground plane, substrate variation, meta-materials have been emerged due to their continuous efforts. One of the most commonly used techniques is the use of fractal geometry in the radiating element of microstrip patch antenna. Patch antenna consists of a conducting material of any shape printed on the substrate having definite dielectric constant and required thickness with ground plane on the bottom of the substrate. Along with these advantages of patch antenna, the limitation of fixed frequency operation can be solved by incorporating appropriate fractal geometry in the radiating element of patch antenna. The main advantages of these antennas are low profile, conformal shape, aerodynamic profile, and multiple frequency bands can be achieved and hence are multifunctional. In this work the multi-band aspect of fractal antenna are further explored to cover radio navigation and fixed satellite frequency bands. newline