A novel design of microstrip patch antenna array with modified-I-shaped electromagnetic metamaterials applied in microwave wireless power transmission

Distinguished from conventional inductive or resonant method, this paper presents a novel high radiation gain and narrower half-power beamwidth microstrip patch antenna (MPA) array loading with modified-I-shaped(MIS) electromagnetic metamaterials(MTM) to apply in the microwave wireless power transmission(MWPT). The MIS MTM unit cell is simulated in HFSS and the effective parameters of the meta-atom is extracted by homogenization retrieval method. Detailed single MPA numerical computing and modeled simulation is proposed step by step and optimetrics procedure in HFSS is conducted to optimize the design parameters for optimum performance. To better take advantages of the higher directive radiation gain and planer structure, a 6 × 10 × 1 MIS MTM array acting as superstrate is placed above a 2 × 2 MPA array with delicate feeding network and power distribution system. Experiment investigation indicates that the MPA array with superstrate obtained the peak value gain of 17.66 dB compared to original 13.18 dB in the operating frequency of 10 GHz. The half-power beamwidth decreased from 36.775° to 18.645° for the E-plane and reduced to 19.958° from 38.649° for the H-plane respectively. The measured results of the fabricated prototype are consistent with the simulation ones with slight discrepancy. This method offers valuable guidance for designing high efficiency transmitting antenna system in application of MWPT.