Low-Cost FR-4 Metasurface-Enhanced Microstrip Patch Antenna Array for Wideband 5G millimeter-Wave Applications

This paper presents a low-cost metasurface (MTS)-enhanced microstrip patch antenna (MPA) array for wideband 5G mmWave applications. The MTS and MPA are fabricated using FR-4 PCB processes, ensuring affordability and accessibility. The designed MTS mitigates the high loss of FR-4 substrate and improves performance. Results show a |S11| <=-10 dB bandwidth of 32.3% (24.1-33.4 GHz) and a maximum gain of 19.7 dBi. Compared to an MPA array without the MTS, the MTS-enhanced antenna achieves an 8 dB gain improvement (11.7 dBi). This design offers an economical solution for enhancing mmWave communication systems, facilitating the cost-effective deployment of 5G technology.