Highly compact DRA array using metallic grid-shaped partial ground plane

A closely packed two-element cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna (CDRA) array is presented. A circular patch with two annular ring-shaped slots is used to excite each CDRA. The metallic grid-shaped partial ground plane (MGS-PGP) is used beneath substrate instead of a uniform ground plane as the former helps to achieve better impedance matching. Based on the simulated data, -10 dB impedance bandwidth is noted from 5.68 GHz to 6.67 GHz. The mutual coupling between the antenna elements is noted to be less than -16.6 dB for an inter-element spacing of 4.8 mm, which is 0.090λ
_h
(λ
_h
= wavelength corresponding to the lowest operating frequency). The gain of the antenna array is above 3.97 dBi with a maximum of 5.4 dBi within its bandwidth.