Multiband antenna array using electromagnetic bandgap structures

1. An antenna array comprising:

two or more planar antennas situated substantially on a surface of a substrate;

a first set of electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) patches situated substantially between and on plane with the antennas; and

a second set of EBG patches to limit the propagation of a radiating wave situated within a dielectric material within the substrate below the antennas, wherein the EBG patches are coupled with a grounded metal layer within the dielectric material.

2. The antenna array of claim 1 , further comprising four antennas arranged in a substantially square pattern.

3. The antenna array of claim 2 , further comprising antennas situated within the substrate.

4. The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the first set of EBG patches comprises spiral-based EBG patches.

5. The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the first set of EBG patches comprises four rows of EBG patches.

6. The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the second set of EBG patches comprises patches having a width of about 750 μm.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a wireless network controller soldered to the printed circuit board; and

an antenna array soldered to the printed circuit board, the antenna array comprising:

two or more planar antennas situated substantially on a surface of a substrate;

a first set of electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) patches to limit the propagation of a radiating wave situated substantially between and on plane with the antennas, wherein the first set of EBG patches are coupled with a grounded metal layer within a dielectric material within the substrate; and

a second set of EBG patches situated within the dielectric material below the antennas.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising four antennas arranged in a substantially square pattern.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising antennas situated within the substrate.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first set of EBG patches comprises spiral-based EBG patches.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second set of EBG patches comprises patches having a width of about 750 μm.

12. An electronic appliance comprising:

a wireless network controller;

a system memory;

a processor; and

an antenna array, wherein the antenna array includes two or more planar antennas situated substantially on a surface of a substrate, a first set of electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) patches to limit the propagation of a radiating wave situated substantially between the antennas; and a second set of EBG patches situated within a dielectric material within the substrate below the antennas, wherein the EBG patches are coupled with a grounded metal layer within the dielectric material.

13. The electronic appliance of claim 12 , further comprising four antennas arranged in a substantially square pattern.

14. The electronic appliance of claim 13 , further comprising antennas situated within the substrate.

15. The electronic appliance of claim 12 , wherein the first set of EBG patches comprises spiral-based EBG patches.

16. The electronic appliance of claim 12 , wherein the first set of EBG patches comprises four rows of EBG patches.

17. A method comprising:

forming two or more planar antennas substantially on a surface of a package substrate;

forming a first set of electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) patches to limit the propagation of a radiating wave substantially between the antennas;

forming a second set of EBG patches within a dielectric material within the substrate below the antennas; and

forming metal layers within the dielectric material which serve as ground planes coupled with the EBG patches.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising forming four antennas arranged in a substantially square pattern.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising forming a multi-layer organic substrate.