Compact wideband hybrid fractal antenna loaded on AMC reflector with enhanced gain for hybrid wireless cellular networks

A wideband hybrid fractal monopole antenna loaded with artifical magnetic conductor (AMC) is proposed. Using a hybrid fractal generator, the monopole antenna achieves self-similarity compactness, reduced size and good wideband performances. The ground is semi-elliptic and has defected steps aiming to improve impedance matching and X-pol. reduction. The AMC reflector has 3x 3 array of cesaro shaped unit cells looped in a square metallic conductor. The AMC enhances radiation gain with back-lobe reduction. The AMC unit cell produce a 0(0) phase reflection at f(AMC) = 4.5 GHz and then loaded to optimize antenna performance. To validate the design, a prototype antenna is fabricated and measured. The antenna operates from (3.7-7.0) GHz with 61.68% impedance bandwidth, realized gain of (8.7-13.8) dBi, and radiation efficiency > 82.5%. The proposed antenna leverages on compactness, low-profile AMC height and good boresight radiation gain, which shows its potential for hybrid wireless cellular networks.