Novel star fractal MIMO antenna integrated with a unique parasitic decoupler for enhanced 5 G/IoT/UWB communication performance

Abstract This study focuses on the development, simulation, and experimental analysis of a two-port, fractal-inspired UWB antenna array for optimal deployment in 5 G/IoT/UWB systems. The array is structured 1.57 mm thick, dielectric FR4 material, encompassing a 38 × 66 mm 2 area. The design includes two offset-fed pentagonal radiating patches defective with a 2nd iterative novel star-fractal pattern on its upper surface, which optimizes the array’s radiative properties and triggers a wide operating range of 3–14.6 GHz with an impedance bandwidth ratio of 3.87:1. The application of unique star-fractal design contributes to 54.33% shrinkage of patch area in contrast to the typical pentagonal patch. The rear dielectric layer features a reduced ground plane embedded with novel parasitic and stub-loading decoupling structures (placed centrally) to significantly suppress the cross-coupling between the array units and minimize mismatch losses. Multiple diversity parameters are reviewed and are found to comply with their defined thresholds, demonstrating a favorable match between simulation and experimental findings. The array design effectively addresses the rising demand for compact solutions tailored for handheld devices, thus facilitating real-time operations in 5 G/IoT frameworks.