Overall size antenna reduction using fractal elements

This article presents a proposal for microstrip patch antennas miniaturization using Koch curve fractal contours. The antennas were designed using the Ansoft DesignTM software and several prototypes were built. All the build antennas obtained return loss lower than −30 dB at the resonant frequencies. The use of inset-fed technique effectively allows an excellent impedance matching of the fractal antennas using a recessed microstrip-line feed. With the use of appropriated fractal iteration factors, the proposed Koch fractal patch antennas are 39% smaller in size than a conventional rectangular inset-fed patch. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 671–675, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24171