Radiation characteristics of artificial magneto-dielectric antenna loaded with split-ring resonator array

This study proposes a simple artificial magneto-dielectric (MD) antenna with a split-ring resonator (SRR) loaded in an array configuration. This SRR element is used to realize the MD characteristic that is beneficial for antenna miniaturization. The simulation of material permittivity and permeability is conducted to ensure that the proposed SRR-array configuration has the expected MD characteristic. Configurations of SRR in arrays of 3 × 3, 5 × 5, 7 × 7, and 9 × 9 are realized to obtain its radiation characteristics when embedded in the antenna ground plane. A rectangular patch antenna is used in this study. Based on the simulation, the proposed antenna with an SRR array of 5 × 5 achieves excellent MD characteristics with high permittivity and permeability of 32.44 and 51.39, respectively. Furthermore, a microstrip antenna loaded with the SRR 5 × 5 arrays are fabricated on a RT/duroid 5880 substrate. It has a dimension of 0.31λ₀ × 0.26λ₀. The simulation and measurement results of the proposed antenna show a fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 4.79% and 5.2% at 1.5 GHz; and a maximum gain of 5.20 dB and 4.95 dB, respectively. Good agreement between the simulated and the measured results was achieved.