Fractal Electrodynamics Improves Kokh Antenna Bandwidth

June 13, 2007

In fractal electrodynamics, fractal geometry is combined with electromagnetic theory in order to investigate a new class of radiation, propagation, and scattering problems. When fractals are applied to antenna elements, the result is smaller resonant antennas that are multiband/broadband. These antennas may even be optimized for gain. A wideband and compact fractal Kokh antenna has been created by Babak Mirzapour and Abbas Ali Lotfi Neyestanak from Shahed University and Islamic Azad University in Tehran, Iran.

In this research, the fractal concept was applied to an enhanced Kokh antenna. These six Kokh island microstrip antennas are loaded by a fractal-shaped slot on a complete Kokh patch antenna fed by a 50-Ω coax feed. In simulation results for the proposed antennas, bandwidth was roughly 19 percent for the first iteration for –10 dB return loss. In the second and third iterations, respectively, impedance bandwidths of 19 and 17 percent were achieved. See "Enhanced Wideband and Compact Size Fractal Kokh Antenna," Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, May 2007, p. 1077.

About the Author

Nancy Friedrich

RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense, Keysight Technologies

Nancy Friedrich is RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense at Keysight Technologies. Nancy Friedrich started a career in engineering media about two decades ago with a stint editing copy and writing news for Electronic Design. A few years later, she began writing full time as technology editor at Wireless Systems Design. In 2005, Nancy was named editor-in-chief of Microwaves & RF, a position she held (along with other positions as group content head) until 2018. Nancy then moved to a position at UBM, where she was editor-in-chief of Design News and content director for tradeshows including DesignCon, ESC, and the Smart Manufacturing shows.