Optimization comparison between Taguchi´s method and PSO by design of a CPW slot antenna

Recently, a novel global optimization technique, Taguchi´s method was introduced to electromagnetic (EM) community and successfully has applied to optimize some EM applications such as linear array synthesis, ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna, planar filter designs, which demonstrated its great potential on optimization and its advantages of solving complex problem ability, good convergence, and easy coding. In this study, a two-element series aperiodic coplanar waveguide (CPW) slot antenna array is optimized by Taguchi´s method and PSO method, where a full wave simulator, IE3D, based on method of moments, is used to analyze the antenna and integrated with the two optimization approaches. The design objectives are that the optimized two- element antenna has a dual-resonant frequency feature at 5 GHz and 6 GHz. Moreover, by optimizing the antenna under the same optimization conditions, the optimization performance of the two optimization approaches can be compared with each other. Optimization results show that the desired frequency responses of the antenna are successfully obtained by the two approaches; the superior optimization performance of Taguchi´s method makes it a viable alternative optimization scheme for EM applications.