Design of Optimal Broadband Microstrip Antenna Elements in the Array Environment using Genetic Algorithms

In this paper, a genetic algorithm (GA) design methodology is presented for the synthesis of broadband or multiband microstrip stacked-patch antenna arrays. The geometric and electric properties of a single element in an infinite array environment are optimized so that the mutual coupling between the array elements can be properly accounted for. A full-wave periodic finite element-boundary integral (PFE-BI) method is combined with a robust parallel GA for the purpose of optimizing microstrip antenna elements with complex geometries and inhomogeneous dielectric materials in the array environment. An example is presented for a stacked-patch antenna element optimized in the array environment that achieves a 35% bandwidth