A COMPACT SUPER-WIDEBAND FRACTAL ANTENNA FOR NEXT-GENERATION 5G WIRELESS NETWORKS: DESIGN OPTIMIZATION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR HIGH-DATA-RATE AND LOW-LATENCY APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The rapid evolution of fifth-generation (5G) wireless communication systems has intensified the demand for compact antenna solutions capable of supporting ultra-high data rates, low-latency transmission, and reliable broadband connectivity across diverse operating conditions. Achieving these requirements simultaneously remains a significant challenge due to the inherent trade-offs between antenna size, impedance bandwidth, radiation stability, and efficiency. In this paper, a compact super-wideband fractal antenna is proposed, designed, and optimized to address the stringent performance requirements of next-generation 5G wireless networks. The proposed antenna employs a space-filling fractal geometry that exploits self-similarity and multi-scale current paths to significantly enhance impedance bandwidth while maintaining a compact physical footprint suitable for integration into modern wireless devices. The antenna structure is realized on a low-profile dielectric substrate and fed using an optimized planar feeding technique to ensure wideband impedance matching and stable excitation. A systematic design evolution process is presented, beginning with a conventional radiator and progressively introducing fractal iterations and ground-plane modifications to achieve super-wideband performance. Key geometrical parameters, including fractal iteration scale, radiator dimensions, feed geometry, and ground configuration, are carefully optimized through extensive parametric analysis to maximize bandwidth, improve radiation efficiency, and stabilize gain across the operating frequency range. The optimization strategy is guided by well-defined performance objectives, including a reflection coefficient below −10 dB, minimal impedance fluctuation, and consistent radiation characteristics throughout the band. Comprehensive electromagnetic simulations are conducted to evaluate the antenna’s performance in terms of impedance bandwidth, voltage standing wave ratio, radiation patterns, gain, and radiation efficiency. The results demonstrate that the proposed antenna achieves super-wideband operation with stable omnidirectional radiation behavior and satisfactory gain over the entire frequency range, making it well suited for high-speed and low-latency 5G communication scenarios. Surface current distribution analysis is performed at multiple representative frequencies to elucidate the underlying physical mechanisms responsible for bandwidth enhancement and multi-resonant behavior. Furthermore, the antenna’s temporal performance is assessed through group delay analysis, confirming minimal signal distortion and suitability for broadband and low-latency applications. A detailed comparison with recently reported wideband and fractal antenna designs highlights the advantages of the proposed antenna in terms of compactness, bandwidth enhancement, and overall performance. The results confirm that the proposed compact super-wideband fractal antenna represents a promising candidate for next-generation 5G wireless systems, offering an effective balance between miniaturization, bandwidth, and radiation performance.