Compact Broadband Microstrip Antenna

A compact broadband microstrip antenna for mounting to one side of a ground plane comprises a closed (usually circular) array of antenna elements positioned to one side of a substrate for spacing the antenna elements a selected distance above the ground plane, the antenna elements being adapted to be electrically driven out of phase from one another to excite one or more spiral modes. In another form, a compact microstrip antenna comprises one or more antenna elements positioned to one side of a magnetic substrate for spacing the antenna elements a selected distance from a ground plane, the magnetic substrate being chosen to have a relative permittivity which is roughly equal to its relative permeability. In a third form, a microstrip antenna is adapted for operating in a single mode and radiation from other modes is suppressed by varying the spacing above the ground plane in the radiation zones so that only radiation in the desired mode is fostered. The disclosed antenna achieves a reduction in physical size at a sacrifice of bandwidth and gain.Georgia Tech Research Corporatio