An Integrated Tri-Band/LWB Polarization Diversity Antenna for Vehicular Networks

The design, fabrication, and testing of an integrated polarization diversity antenna array for maximizing the wireless channel link in vehicular networks are presented in this paper. The diversity antenna is constructed using unit cell radiators that provide two operating modes. The mode transition is achieved using a pair of PIN diodes. In one state, the antenna provides multihand operation centered at 2.4, 3.5, and 5.8 GHz. In the other state, the antenna covers the entire ultra-wideband (UWB) spectrum. The unit cell radiators are distributed in the horizontal and vertical plane to achieve polarization diversity. Apart from offering a polarization diversity antenna, the orientation of antennas offers a reliable link with the communication devices. The prototype antenna array is fabricated and tested for diversity performance. The performance metrics such as envelope correlation coefficient, diversity gain, and mean effective gain under isotropic, indoor, and outdoor conditions are evaluated and presented.