Performance of shorted microstrip patch antennas for mobile communications handsets at 1800 MHz

We have investigated the application of two different types of novel shorted-patch antennas for mobile communications handsets at 1800 MHz. A single shorted-patch and a stacked shorted-patch antenna offering improved bandwidth are compared with data for a /spl lambda//4 monopole. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique was used to calculate antenna characteristics such as impedance and radiation patterns for two cases: on a handset and on a handset near a (2.5-mm voxel) heterogeneous head model in an actual position of phone use. We also obtained specific absorption rate (SAR) distributions and calculated the spatial peak 1-g SAR values. In addition, the effect on SAR and antenna characteristics of including a block model of the hand was assessed. Similar performance is achieved from the single or stacked shorted-patch antenna with the latter providing greater bandwidth, 8.2% versus 9.4% with the head and hand included. Both antennas reduce the l-g spatial peak SAR value in the head by 70% relative to the monopole. The presence of the hand reduces the efficiency of all three antenna types by approximately 10%.