The Design Optimization of Multi-Band Microstrip Patch Antennas for GNSS Application

This study simulates and analyzes a dual-band microstrip patch antenna designed to be optimal for Global Navigation Satellite System usage in the L2 (1227.60 MHz) and L5 (1176.45 MHz) bands. This research focuses on designing a single antenna element to receive signals from multiple Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) constellations operating over the L2 and L5 frequency bands. The antenna design presented herein utilizes a novel technique that combines a slotted patch configuration with a defective ground plane to achieve dual-band functionality while maintaining the miniaturization and low-profile characteristics of the structure. Full-wave numerical simulations were performed using a finite element-based electromagnetic solver to fine-tune various performance parameters, such as S11 bandwidths, radiation patterns, and realized gain of this proposed microstrip slot-patch antenna structure implemented on a high-frequency electronic material substrate. The effects of different design factors, including substrate selection and characteristics, as well as variation in the length-width ratio of the rectangular patch strip, are also investigated, and their influence on key antenna performance metrics is analyzed. This study contributes to the field of GNSS antenna design by presenting a cost-effective and efficient dual-band solution that can be easily integrated into modern navigation devices. In addition, this study explains how much more gain the antennas in the L2 and L5 bands of the GNSS provided in the antenna array with different feeding techniques.