Suspended Microstrip Patch Antenna with Dielectric Resonator Loading for Enhanced Bandwidth

Microstrip patch antennas are well known for their advantages in terms of small weight, low profile and ease of manufacture. However, the main limiting factor in implementing these antennas in many applications is their low impedance bandwidth (typically 2-3%). One popularly used technique of enhancing the bandwidth is to use multi-layered microstrip[1,2]. The most widely accepted structure in this category is the suspended microstrip, which, in view of the air layer next to the ground plane, offers improved efficiency. Recently George et al [3] have reported enhanced bandwidth in a rectangular microstrip patch antenna by loading it with a ceramic dielectric resonator (DR). There is as yet no literature that reports the combined advantages of suspended microstrip and dielectric resonator loading. The aim of this paper is to study the bandwidth and radiation characteristics of suspended microstrip rectangular patch antennas with dielectric resonator loading.