Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, Moscow, Russia, August 1821, 2009 1837

Design and Performance Analysis of Microstrip Array Antenna

Muhammad Mahfuzul Alam, Md. Mustazur Rahman Sonchoy, and Md. Osman Goni Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh

Abstract This paper describes the design of dierent microstrip array antennas. Seriesfeed, corporate-feed and their combination that makes series-corporate feed and full-corporate feed antennas are analyzed and simulated. These antennas are designed on a thin substrate for the application of conformal microstrip array antenna. In all cases we get return losses below than 15 dB at resonance frequency. The gain of these antennas are simulated and found adequate results also sidelobe label is maintained 11.0 dB or lower than main lobe. One of these simulated antennas is implemented for performance tests. Operating frequency of these antennas are 2.45 GHz, 1.88 GHz, so these antennas are suitable for L-band and S-band application. 1. INTRODUCTION

Microwave equipments require low prole and light-weight to assure reliability, an antenna with these characteristics is essentially required and a microstrip antenna satises such requirement. The key features of a microstrip antenna are relative ease of construction, light weight, low cost and either conformability to the mounting surface or, at least, an extremely thin protrusion from the surface. Microstrip arrays are limited in that they tend to radiate eciently only over a narrow band of frequencies and they can not operate at the high power levels of waveguide, coaxial line, or even stripline [1]. In various communications and radar systems microstrip antenna is greatly desired. Microstrip antennas are very versatile and are used, among other things, to synthesize a required pattern that cannot be achieved with a single element. In addition, they are used to scan the beam of an antenna system, increase the directivity, and perform various other functions which would be dicult with any one single element. The elements can be fed by a single line or by multiple lines in a feed network arrangement. The rst is referred to as a series-feed network while the second is referred to as a corporate-feed network [2]. This paper presents the characteristic of microstrip array antennas, series-feed, corporate feed and their combination. There performance comparisons are also given for better understanding. Substrate selection and element spacing for grating lobe minimization are also given. For microstrip antennas, the dielectric constants are usually in the range of 2.2 r 12. Dielectric constants in the lower end of the range can give us better eciency, large bandwidth, loosely bound electric eld for radiation into space, but at the expense of large element size. In microwave circuit that requires tightly bound elds to minimize undesired radiation and coupling, and lead to smaller element size. In some application we need small size antennas, substrate with high dielectric constant is a better choice in this application. High dielectric constants have greater losses so they are less ecient and have relatively small bandwidth [2]. In our design, we consider all these things. Simulated antennas can be easily fabricated on FR-4 (r = 4.4), RT/duroid 5880 (r = 2.2) or high dielectric constant of (r = 10.2, R03010) substrate. Recessed microstrip line feeding techniques is used as this gives a good impedance matching at inputs of the radiating elements.
2. MICROSTRIP SERIES-FEED ARRAY ANTENNA

If we reduce the width of the patch, the radiation conductance is insucient to match the input. We can use the microstrip patch as a transmission line and connect a line opposite the feed to lead to other patches. If we space the patches by half wavelengths, the impedances of the patches will add in phase at the input, because it rotates once around the Smith chart in /2. The Characteristic impedance of the connecting lines has no eect at center frequency. The junction of transmissionline feeder and the patch introduces extra phase shift [3]. The dierence in phase between two adjacent elements in series-fed array as given in [4] as = 2f l/v = 2l/ (1)

where f = frequency of the electromagnetic signal, l = length of line connecting adjacent elements, v = velocity of propagation, and = signal wavelength. The main limitation in series-fed arrays is the large variation of the impedance and beam-pointing direction over a band of frequencies.

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The main limitation in series-fed arrays is the large variation of the impedance and beam-pointing direction over a band of frequencies. The main beam direction and the scan sensitivity can be calculated from the following equations [5]. c d sin + l = = (2) f c = 2 (3) f df cos where d is the element spacing, l is the length of transmission line joining the successive elements, c is the velocity of light, f is the operating frequency, and is the beam-pointing angle measured from the broadside direction. Such a conguration can be used as a frequency scanned array. For the low side lobe design, the radiation resistance oered by each patch is chosen according to the required amplitude distribution. This can be achieved by varying the nonresonant width of the rectangular patch element [5]. For series feed linear array, we consider all excitation amplitude are same. The radiated elds of the E -plane for a single element patch and array factor can be expressed using the following formulas [2, 6]. E = +jk0 W V0 ejk0 r /r sin k0 h cos 2 k0 h cos cos 2 k0 L e sin 2 (4)

Here W is the width of the patch antenna, Le is the extended length, V0 = hE0 is the voltage across radiating slot. h is the substrate height, K0 = 2/ and r is the far eld distance from the antenna. F A = sin (N dx (u u0 )) / sin (dx (u u0 )) (5)

Here u = sin , u0 = sin 0 , dx is the element spacing. N is the number of elements. Combining array factor and element voltage radiation pattern we get the total element normalized power radiation pattern that is 20 log(|E |F A|) [8]. Gain is the most important performance parameter of an antenna. The general formula for approximating gain is given by Warren Stutzman [7]. G = 26000/HPE 0 HPH 0 (6)

Figure 1: Series-fed array (4-element), f = 2.45 GHz.

(a)

(b)

Figure 2: (a) Return loss (19.38 dB) for 2.45 GHz and (b) radiation pattern at 2.45 GHz.

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where HPE 0 and HPH 0 are the principal-plane beamwidths in degrees. 26000 is the directivitybeamwidth product in deg2 . Substrate permittivity of the antenna is r = 2.2 (RT/duroid 5880), height is 1.58 mm and resonance frequency of the antenna is 2.45 GHz. There is 44.10 phase dierence between adjacent elements. After simulation we found that, return loss is 19.38 dB. The simulated gain and directivity of the antenna after simulation are found 8.67563 dBi and 9.15724 dBi respectively. This techniques is limited to arrays with a xed beam or those which are scanned by varying frequency, also it can be applied to linear and planar arrays. This antenna has poor side lobe label and return loss 10 dB or lower from 2.432 GHz to 2.467 GHz, so it can be used in 2.4 GHz band WLAN system.
3. MICROSTRIP CORPORATED-FEED ARRAY ANTANNA

The corporate-feed network is used to provide power splits of 2n (i.e., n = 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc.). This is accomplished by using either tapered lines or using quarter wavelength impedance transformers. Corporate-fed arrays are general and versatile. With this method the designer has more control of the feed of each element (amplitude and phase) and it is ideal for scanning phased arrays, multibeam arrays, or shaped-beam arrays [2]. The radiated eld formula that is given in Equation (4) is same for this array and array factor as given in [4, 8] as F A = sin2 (N (dx /) sin ) /N 2 sin2 ( (dx /) sin ) (7)

Combining the element radiation pattern and array factor we get the normalized power radiation pattern. The substrate permittivity of the antenna is r = 4.4, height is 1.58 mm and resonance frequency of the antenna is 2.45 GHz. Simulated return loss of the antenna is 22.0 dB. Gain and directivity of the antenna are 11.3139 dBi and 12.5309 dBi respectively. Sidelobe label is 11.0dB lower than main lobe. Antenna return loss is 10 dB or lower from 2.437 GHz to 2.462 GHz, so this can be used in 2.4 GHz band WLAN system. We implement this antenna for performance evaluation. Measured radiation pattern is not satisfactory; sidelobe label is 7.5 dB lower than main lobe. This is because of fabrication and measuring equipment limitation.

Figure 3: Corporate-fed array (4-element) f = 2.45 GHz.

(a)

(b)

Figure 4: (a) Return-loss (22.0 dB) at f = 2.45 GHz and (b) radiation pattern.

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(a) E-plane

(b) H-plane

Figure 5: Measured radiation pattern (a) E -eld and (b) H -eld of this antenna.

4. COMBINATION OF SERIES AND CORPORATE FEED MICROSTRIP ANTENNAS

The combination of series feed and corporate feed can be used for array antenna. A 16-elemant array antenna can be constructed using this method. Its a two dimensional, rectangular planar array whose aperture illumination can be separated into two orthogonal planes such as the horizontal and vertical planes, the radiation pattern may then be written as the product the radiation patterns in these two planes. The array factor of this antenna with element spacing in the x and y direction are dx and dy respectively as given in [4, 8] as F A = sin2 (N (dx /) sin a ) /N 2 sin2 ( (dx /) sin a ) sin2 (M (dy /) sin e ) /M 2 sin2 ( (dy /) sin e ) (8)

Here N = number of vertical elements of array that gives rise to the azimuth angle a and M = number of horizontal elements of array that gives rise to the elevation angle e . Multiplying the above equation with element radiated eld gives normalized power radiation pattern. Substrate permittivity of the antenna is r = 2.2 (RT/duroid 5880) and height is 1.58 mm. Simulated return loss is 17.60 dB at f = 2.45 GHz. Gain and directivity of the antenna are 15.1504 dBi and 15.7942 dBi respectively. Antenna return loss is 10 dB or lower from 2.437 GHz to 2.475 GHz. This antenna have high gain and sidelobe label is 13 dB lower than main lobe so it can be used for 2.4 GHz band WLAN base station system or sub-array antenna for radar system.

Figure 6: 16-element array antenna, combination of series and corporate feed.

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(a)

(b)

Figure 7: (a) Return loss (17.42 dB) at f = 2.45 GHz and (b) radiation pattern. 5. COMBINATION OF CORPORATE AND CORPORATE FEED MICROSTRIP ANTENNAS

A fully corporate feed encompasses both branch and main feeds. This type of feed is often used with microstrip patch arrays. We design and simulate an 2 8 array antenna that is 16 element full-corporate congurations. The elements spacing are little bit more than half of wavelength, so no grating lobe is created because the element pattern will suppress it. The array factor equation of this antenna is same as given in Equation (8). The substrate dielectric constant is considered r = 10.2 (high dielectric constant is used for size reduction), height is 1.58 mm and antenna operating frequency is 1.88 GHz. The return loss of the antenna is 18 dB at 1.88 GHz but better return loss 33.03 dB is found at 1.882 GHz,which is somewhat shifted. Simulated antenna has return loss 10 dB or lower from 1.860 GHz to 1.887 GHz. The simulated gain and directivity of the antenna are 16.4071 dBi and 17.8751 dBi respectively and sidelobe label is 12.0 dB lower than main lobe. Its a high gain antenna and is a good candidate for dierent wireless communication system.

Figure 8: 16-element full-corporate antenna array (layout).

(a)

(b)

Figure 9: (a) Return loss of the antenna at 1.88 GHz (18.0 dB) and (b) simulated Radiation pattern.

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6. CONCLUSION

The characteristic of these antennas are investigated using IE3D simulator. We see that changing the geometry of antenna and array element spacing gives us dierent result. These things should be consider in array antenna designing system. First and second simulated antennas are linear arrays so this type of antenna only controls the pattern in one plane; it depends on the element pattern to control the beam in the other plane. Third and forth simulated antennas are planar array, so these antennas can control the beam shape in both planes and form pencil beams. This implies that planar array have their advantages over linear array antenna.
REFERENCES

1. Mailloux, R. J., J. F. Mcllvenna, and N. P. Kernweis, Microstrip array technology, IEEE Trans. Antenna Propag., Vol. 29, No. 1, 2527, January 1981. 2. Balanis, C. A., Antenna Engineering, 2nd Edition, Willey. 3. Milligan, T. A., Modern Antenna Design, 2nd Edition, IEEE Press, John Wiley & Sons inc, Publication. 4. Skolnik, M. I., Introduction to RADAR System, 3rd Edition, McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2000. 5. Garg, R., P. Bhartia, I. Bahl, and A. Ittipiboon, Microstrip Antenna Design Handbook, Artech House, INC., 2001. 6. Mailloux, R. J., Electronically Scanned Arrays, Morgan & Claypool, 2007 7. Stutzman, W. L., Estamating directivity and gain of antennas, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 4, 711, August 1998. 8. Visser, H. J., Array and Phased Array Antenna Basics, John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2005.