Broadband Low-Profile Multifunction Dual-Polarized Dipole Antenna and Array for 5G and WiFi Application

This letter introduces a multifunctional low-profile wideband dual-polarized dipole antenna and its 4-element array. The proposed antenna and array can be applied to the WiFi (2400–2497 MHz, 5150–5350 MHz) and 5G (2515–2675 MHz, 3400–3600 MHz, 4800–4960 MHz) indoor base station applications. Unlike the existing literature, this design adopts a new balun design and optimization method to improve the antenna performance. Under the simple typical single-layer dipole radiation structure, the balun is designed using the key parameters extraction joint particle swarm optimization algorithm. The proposed dipole antenna can simultaneously realize the advantages of wide band, low profile, and easy machining. At the lowest frequency of 2400 MHz, the profile of the antenna is only 0.14λ₀. Furthermore, by cleverly synthesizing the radiation pattern of active elements, precise patterns and gain performance of the antenna array are obtained without the feeding network. The maximum measured gain of the 4-element array can reach 14.2 dBi, demonstrating good agreement with simulation results. Based on the proposed balun design method, further optimizing the radiator promises to achieve superior performance for both dipole antennas and arrays.