Design and development of multiband PIFA antenna for vehicular LTE/5G and V2X communication

Abstract This paper aims to introduce a custom-designed multiband planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) suitable for automotive applications in LTE/5G schemes operating under 6 GHz, as well as Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications. The PIFA antenna has a broad bandwidth capability, resonating from 950 MHz to 6 GHz. The proposed PIFA antenna is divided into three parts: the top, front, and back, resulting in a unique and effective antenna structure. The antenna is fabricated using a substrate made of FR4 material with a dielectric constant of 4.4. The whole measurements of the antenna are 54 × 38 × 25 mm3.The proposed PIFA antenna has been tested and has achieved a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of less than 2 across the entire frequency range of 950 MHz to 6 GHz. Additionally, the maximum gain achieved by the antenna is 7.08 dBi at a frequency of 5.5 GHz, 6.81 dBi at 5.2 GHz, and 6.65 dBi at 5.9 GHz. The antenna also achieved a gain of 6.67 dBi at 3.8 GHz and a gain of 3.31 dBi at 1.7 GHz. Overall, this paper presents a well-designed and effective multiband PIFA antenna that is appropriate for use in vehicular applications. The antenna ability to cover a wide range of bandwidth and achieve high gain makes it an excellent candidate for use in LTE/5G systems and V2X communications.