Broadband, miniaturized stacked-patch antenna based on magneto-dielectric substrates for L-band operation

The low profile and wide bandwidth of microstrip stacked-patch antennas makes them an attractive choice for many RF applications, especially in the UHF and L bands. There are competing factors that impact the design of these antennas. For instance, miniaturization can be achieved through the use of substrates with a high permittivity but their use tends to come at the expense of increased coupling between the patches and the ground plane, and consequently a reduced bandwidth. High permittivity dielectric materials can also be heavy (e.g., ceramics) and are therefore not suitable for many applications where light weight antenna structures are required. Additionally, a reduction in the physical size of the antenna tends to be accompanied by a reduction in gain.