Genetically engineered tri-band microstrip antenna with improved directivity for mm-wave wireless application

Multi-band microstrip patch antennas are convenient for mm-wave wireless applications due to their low profile, less weight, and planar structure. This paper investigates patch geometry optimization of a single microstrip antenna by employing a binary coded genetic algorithm to attain triple band frequency operation for wireless network application. The algorithm iteratively creates new models of patch surface, evaluates the fitness function of each individual ranking them and generates the next set of offsprings. Finally, the fittest individual antenna model is returned. Genetically engineered antenna was simulated in ANSYS HFSS software and compared with the non-optimized reference antenna with the same dimensions. The optimized antenna operates at three frequency bands centered at 28 GHz, 40 GHz, and 47 GHz whereas the reference antenna operates only at 28 GHz with a directivity of 6.8 dB. Further, the test result exhibits broadside radiation patterns with peak directivities of 7.7 dB, 12.1 dB, and 8.2 dB respectively. The covered impedance bandwidths when S₁₁ $\le$-10 dB are 1.8 %, 5.5 % and 0.85 % respectively.