Microstrip monopole antenna with a novel UC-EBG for 2.4 GHz WBAN applications

A microstrip monopole antenna backed with a novel uniplanar compact electromagnetic bandgap (UC-EBG) structure for 2.4 GHz wireless body area network applications is proposed here. The proposed antenna has a size reduction of 50% when the number of EBG array is optimised from 3 × 4 to 2× 3, while the radiation performance is almost invariable at the same time. The operating frequency band under different conditions has the capability of covering the 2.4–2.4835 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical band. Due to the addition of 2×3 UC-EBG on the back, the radiation patterns become unidirectional, and the measured average gain increases from 2.1 to 5.6 dB. Meanwhile, the cross-polarisation of the monopole antenna can be suppressed prominently by the EBG array. The simulated specific absorption rate values are 0.0536 W/kg under 1 g standard and 0.0296 W/kg under 10 g standard, which are far below the limitation of USA and Europe. These results can manifest the reliable wearable performance of the proposed antenna.