Design and optimization of a high-efficiency circular SIW patch antenna for satellite communication

This paper presents the design and optimization of a circular Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) patch antenna for high-efficiency satellite communication applications. Building upon a previously proposed dual-band structure, the design introduces geometric modifications by adjusting the SIW radius, the number of metallized vias, and the via pitch to achieve triple-band operation. The antenna is developed to support high-data-rate transmission and High Definition (HD) video over K and Ka-band frequencies, meeting the requirements of modern compact satellite systems. Triple-band functionality is realized by incorporating three concentric circular slots into a square radiating patch and embedding 27 metallized vias in a circular configuration within a Rogers RT/Duroid 5880 substrate. A microstrip line feed is used to ensure effective impedance matching, while the excitation of TM 01 and TE 11 modes enhances bandwidth and gain. Simulated results using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio demonstrate resonant frequencies at 26.176 GHz, 31.6 GHz, and 33.59 GHz, with corresponding peak gains of 8.05 dB, 7.66 dB, and 6.53 dB, respectively. At 26.176 GHz, the antenna achieves an impedance bandwidth of 2.52 GHz (24.885–27.405 GHz), a Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) of 1.011, and a radiation efficiency of 93%. In place of experimental validation, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was trained to predict antenna performance with high accuracy, achieving R² values of 0.9876 for resonance frequency and 0.9907 for bandwidth. The proposed design demonstrates enhanced performance through structural optimization and ANN-based prediction, offering strong potential for future satellite communication systems.