Compact multielement Marconi-Franklin type printed antennas for millimeter wireless systems

Two novel Marconi-Franklin type printed antenna arrays, each consisting of three radiating elements arranged in a cascade configuration, are investigated. Both antennas are printed on a single high permittivity dielectric substrate and fed by SMA connectors, although coplanar waveguide (CPW) feed could easily be applied to further allow easier integration into an RF chip module. Two constructed prototypes, suitable for local-multipoint-distribution service operation in the 26-GHz band (25.5-26.5 GHz), are demonstrated. The constructed prototypes show an impedance bandwidth of about 1 GHz and a maximum gain of more than 5 dBi, with small variations (<1.8 dBi), is obtained across the achieved impedance bandwidth. Details of theoretical and experimental results showing impedance and radiation characteristics for both prototype antennas are given and discussed.