Design and Optimization of Dual-Band Microstrip Patch Antenna For 5g Sub-6GHz and mmWave Applications

Abstract

This study presented a quantitative investigation into the design and optimization of a dual-band microstrip patch antenna for 5G sub-6 GHz and millimeter-wave applications, with the objective of enhancing key performance metrics while maintaining compactness and structural simplicity. An experimental simulation-based methodology was employed, where multiple antenna configurations were generated through systematic parametric variation of patch dimensions, slot geometry, substrate properties, ground plane size, and feeding techniques. A total of 30 antenna models were analyzed using a full-wave electromagnetic simulation environment, and performance was evaluated in terms of resonant frequency, return loss, voltage standing wave ratio, bandwidth, gain, directivity, and radiation efficiency. The optimized antenna achieved resonance at 3.48 GHz and 28.10 GHz, aligning with targeted 5G frequency bands. Significant improvements were observed in return loss, which decreased from -17.80 dB to -25.70 dB at sub-6 GHz and from -14.50 dB to -22.80 dB at mmWave frequencies, indicating enhanced impedance matching. Bandwidth increased from 0.55 GHz to 0.82 GHz in the lower band and from 2.20 GHz to 3.65 GHz in the higher band, demonstrating improved frequency coverage. Gain values improved from 4.10 dBi to 7.40 dBi at sub-6 GHz and from 6.50 dBi to 11.10 dBi at mmWave frequencies, reflecting enhanced radiation performance. Statistical analysis confirmed that these improvements were significant, with p-values below 0.05 and large effect sizes observed for bandwidth and gain. The findings demonstrated that systematic optimization of antenna parameters can effectively achieve balanced dual-band performance without compromising efficiency or compactness. This study provided a validated design framework that contributes to the development of high-performance antennas for next-generation wireless communication systems.