Design of fractal tree- based microstrip filtering antenna array for wireless applications

Abstract In this article, a novel compact microstrip filtering antenna (‘Filtenna’) is presented by embedding a fractal binary tree-based band-pass filter into a 2×1 antenna array fabricated on a high-performance Rogers RT/Duroid 5880 substrate (thickness: 1.545 mm, overall size: 42 × 48 mm²). The key innovation in this proposed work is the use of fractal geometry within the filter design , enabling wide pass-band characteristics without altering the antenna’s physical parameters . By optimizing the number of fractal iterations, the filter performance is enhanced while preserving structural simplicity. The designed filtering antenna exhibits a wide operating band from 11.96 GHz to 15.1 GHz , offering a bandwidth of 3100 MHz with approximately 23% fractional bandwidth , and a significantly extended stop-band suppression up to 25 GHz . The envisaged design structure was simulated using ANSYS HFSS and subsequently fabricated to validate its performance. A substantial agreement between simulated and measured outcomes validates the accuracy and reliability of the design. The outcomes of the proposed work confirm that the specified Filtenna is a viable alternative for modern communication systems, particularly band, where size reduction, wideband performance, and spectral efficiency are essential parameters.