Metamaterial millimeter-wave array antenna for 5G wireless applications

Fifth-generation (5G) wireless communication systems utilize millimeter-wave frequency bands to achieve ultra-wide bandwidth for high-data-rate transmission. To meet the system's requirements, optimal design of high-performance antenna arrays is essential. Therefore, this paper proposes the design and performance analysis of metamaterial-inspired millimeter-wave antenna arrays in single, 2x1, and 4x1 configurations. The antenna elements, operating at a center frequency of 38 GHz, are designed using Rogers 5880 as the substrate material with a dielectric constant of 2.2 and a thickness of 0.35 mm. In the simulated design of the single, 2x1, and 4x1 arrays, the return loss, bandwidth, gain, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), and total efficiency are -82.95 dB, -67.1 dB, -69.12 dB; 1.971 GHz, 2.278 GHz, 4.704 GHz; 7.36 dB, 9.11 dB, 11.4 dB; 1.001432, 1.0009, 1.0007; and 95.55%, 94.01%, 95.87%, respectively. Compared to previous works, considering the impact of metamaterials on the radiator and ground plane of microstrip patch antennas, improved performance is achieved. The selected type of metamaterial alters the radiation current distribution of the patch, enhancing the edge fields at the patch edges, which improves antenna radiation and reduces surface wave losses in the ground plane of the radiators. The proposed antenna arrays address the shortcomings of older designs and meet the needs of 5G communication systems.