An integrative dual-polarized antenna for broadband base station applications

• Published in: Microwave and optical technology letters Vol. 58; no. 12; pp. 2845 - 2851
• Main Authors: Huang, He, Liu, Ying, Gong, Shu-Xi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Antenna arrays; Antennas; Arrays; base station antenna; Broadband; broadband antenna; Dual polarization (waves); dual-polarized antenna; Gain; Microwaves; Radiators
• ISSN: 0895-2477; 1098-2760
• DOI: 10.1002/mop.30167

ABSTRACT A ±45° dual‐polarized antenna is proposed in this paper for broadband base station applications. It consists of two crossed hollow dipoles realizing polarization diversity operation and a box‐shaped reflector achieving unidirectional radiation. Due to the integration of casting, the proposed antenna has sturdy construction. Besides, it can realize broadband by a single radiator without the need for additional parasitic radiator. A prototype of the proposed antenna was fabricated and tested. Measured results show that it operates from 1.68 to 2.72 GHz (|S11| < 15 dB) with isolation higher than 31 dB. Stable radiation patterns with half‐power beam widths (HPBWs) of around 70° in H‐plane, along with stable gain of around 8.5 dBi are obtained. A four‐element array based on this antenna element is then experimentally studied. It tunes out that the array can provide a bandwidth of 48.2% from 1.7 to 2.78 GHz for both ports. The HPBWs for the array are about 63° in H‐plane and 15° in V‐plane. The gain of the antenna array ranges from 10.7 to 13.9 dBi over the entire working band. Details of the antenna design and results are presented and discussed below. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2845–2851, 2016