ERI: Addressing the Challenges in Microstrip Antenna Design using Surface Current Optimization

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This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). In modern wireless communications systems, antennas with wide-band and directed gain are in great demand, from creating a high-resolution image to downloading data with fast speed. Moreover, such antennas are attractive to automotive applications and defense applications as well, where high gain and large bandwidth are essential parameters to track objects or vehicles. Microstrip antennas are potential candidates for such applications because they are light weight, low cost and easy to integrate. However, their narrow impedance bandwidth and low gain are the critical issues that hinder them from replacing conventional bulky antennas such as horns, etc. Another challenge in microstrip antenna design is that they are computationally extensive and need many optimizations/runs. This research will not only advance the research of microstrip antennas but also act as a seed or pilot project for antenna research at TCNJ (The College of New Jersey) that can excite future multidisciplinary projects and collaborations. As antenna development under this project encompasses many industries from biomedical to defense and communications, it would be a perfect vehicle to excite students’ interest (particularly minority and women) in STEM education and improve their understanding of physical science and mathematical concepts. The project will support PI’s efforts to hire more undergraduate students in the newly developed lab and give them exposure and hands-on experience in antenna design and development.This project aims to develop innovative design solutions to address the computation cost and optimum design’s tradeoff between the microstrip antenna’s current technologies and future needs. This proposal will provide the optimal design solutions for antennas using surface current optimization. These design solutions will be concise, less computationally expensive, and straightforward. In this project, certain critical parameters of the microstrip antenna will be optimized or controlled using surface currents. The focus of this research will be on the following three critical design parameters (i) bandwidth (ii) gain/ radiation characteristics (iii) size of antennas. The analysis and optimization of surface currents make antenna structure easy to understand and comprehend because it gives physical insight into the antenna’s structure. As a result, the analysis and optimal design of the antenna may not need many optimization cycles. Successful completion of the project will improve and simplify design procedures for antenna designers. In the long run, the anticipated technology will develop more useful and concise procedures for designing optimum, low-cost, miniaturized antennas.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.