This paper presents a compact and miniaturized microstrip antenna (MA) using a slow wave artificial dielectric substrate (SWADS). The antenna substrate consists of two rows of metal cylinders connected to the ground plane along with another row of metal cylinders connected to the feed line of the patch to increase its effective dielectric constant and in turn a slow wave medium is obtained. The proposed antenna is designed and simulated using full‐wave software. A prototype of the antenna is also made and successfully tested. The measured radiation performance including reflection coefficient, antenna gain, radiation patterns and radiation efficiency of the antenna are reported. The measured results show 5.5 dBi gain with a broadside pattern at 8.5 GHz over the 3.1% impedance bandwidth, whereas the planar size of the microstrip patch is only 0.022λ2 0, which is very appropriate for portable wireless communication systems.

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