Metamaterial-based compact cylindrical base station antennas

The study deals with the modelling, practical implementation and characterization of a directional antenna controllable through 360° in the [2 - 2.5 GHz] frequency band. The antenna is composed of a central omnidirectional broadband monopole feed surrounded by a metamaterial made of one or two controllable layers of metallic strips printed on a dielectric substrate, which can be electrically continuous or discontinuous. By controlling the distribution of reflective and transparent regions of the latter metamaterial around the central feed, a directional emission having an angular beamwidth lower or equal to 60° and controllable through 360° is produced in the UMTS and WIFI frequency bands, demonstrating the broadband operation of this antenna.