Design of a 3-D Fractal Heatsink Antenna

A new type of dual-function structure is presented, a 3-D fractal heatsink antenna. This design is simulated at different fractal iterations in Ansoft HFSS and ePhysics to assess its electromagnetic and thermal performance, relative to a patch antenna and a finned heatsink antenna. It compares favorably to a patch antenna, improving radiation efficiency (up to 0.98) and directivity (up to 8.21 dB). As a heatsink, it decreases thermal resistance in comparison to a typical finned heatsink by an order of magnitude.