ANALYZE AND DESIGN A MICROSTRIP RECTANGULAR 2X2 PATCH ARRAY ANTENNA AT 4GHz FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

Ahmad Azlan B. Ab Aziz1 and Mohamad Khairani B. Mohamed Amin2 1, 2 Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Shah Polytechnic Persiaran Usahawan Seksyen U1, 40150 Shah Alam Selangor 9m2agc@gmail.com, mkhairaniamin@yahoo.com.my

ABSTRACT: This paper presents the design simulation of microstrip rectangular patch antenna with center frequency at 4GHz for Wireless communication application. The array of two by two (2 x 2) patch array microstrip rectangular antennas with microstrip inset feed was designed and simulated using Computer Simulation Tool (CST 2009) Microwave Environment software. The performance of the simulated designed antenna was than compared with the single patch rectangle antenna in term of return loss, Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR), bandwidth, directivity, radiation pattern and gain. The design was focused using substrate type FR-4 with dielectric constant of 4.7, thickness of 1.6mm and tangent loss 0.019 respectively Keywords: array antenna, CST Microwave Studio 2009, microstrip, simulation, tangent loss, substrate FR-4. 1. INTRODUCTION

Over the last two decades the wireless communication system has experienced a significant growth from first generation (1G) analog voice signal to forthcoming fourth generation (4G) mobile technology. The motto of 4G communication system is to provide Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) communication network and high quality audio and video services. Todays technology requires high data rate and longer range to provide quality services to the users. For current mobile communication, the diversity scheme has already been implemented to mitigate the fading effects of multipath scenario [1], [2]. In a multipath rich wireless channel, deploying multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver achieves high data rate without increasing the total transmission power [3]in other word, more gain establish further communication possibility without increasing a power. In this study, an antenna array has been design to improve the gain, antenna beam, bandwidth and reliability of the communication system. This is achieved as a result of the use of multiple antenna elements, exited through single feed point via the transmission line networks. The array antenna structure is very interesting study and it is widely applicable to increase the range and reliability [4]-[6] of Wi-Fi LAN, Bluetooth, PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) DCS (Digital Communication System) and mostly in the field mobile communication. This article describes the simulation design and calculation comparison of single element and multi elements patch antenna that resonant at 4GHz. The antenna is simulated and optimized using CST design suite 2009. In this simulation design, a simple rectangular patch with inset feed antenna matching is compared with 2 x2 array patch antenna to see the different in every parameter aspect between this two antenna and the result was discuss deeply in the article.

2.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The present research in microstrip antenna technology points to the development of antennas which cater the need of low profile, compact communication gadgets. The antenna designers around the world are concentrated in the design of compact antennas with efficient radiation characteristics. The following research provides a comprehensive survey about the developments in the state of art printed antenna technology around the world whereby it is more related to our research and it been done previously by [11].The research lead to inspire of this research work. Design and Performance of Small Printed Antennas are presented by Waterhouse et al. in [11]. In this paper, electrically small microstrip patches incorporating shorting posts are thoroughly investigated. These antennas are suitable for mobile communications handsets where limited antenna size is a premium. Techniques to enhance the bandwidth of these antennas are presented and performance trends are established. From these trends, valuable insight to the optimum design, namely broad bandwidth, small size, and ease of manufacturing, is given. 3. METHODOLOGY

In designing a microstrip antenna, numerous substrates can be used to achieve good response and their dielectric constants are usually in the range of 2.2 r 12. The most desirable substrate for good antenna performance are normally thick substrate whereby the dielectric constant is at the lower end This is due to the fact that the this range provide better performance compared to thin substrate [3].Performance evaluation on the array antenna is consequently conducted once the single patch antenna has been established. The specifications of the rectangle antenna are listed in Table 1. Table 1: Design Specification for Rectangle Patch Antenna
Substrate Dielectric constant r Tangent loss Thickness Centre frequency FR-4 4.7 0.019 1.6mm 4 GHz

3.1

Single microstrip antenna design

The design of the square shape patch follows the equation for designing the rectangular shape patch. The same length and width of the patch of the antenna was made to ease the design steps. Inset feeding is introduced into the design to offset the feeding location to the point where matched impedance can be achieved. The design calculation for the square patch has been discussed in this section. The parameters that needed to be calculated are the length of the patch, the inset feed and the feed lines length as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Single Patch

Table 1.1: Single Patch Dimension

The calculated parameters of the patch have been calculated as shown in Table 1.1; the input impedance level of the patch can be control by adjusting the length of the inset. Variations in the inset length do not produce any change in resonant frequency, but a variation in the inset width will result in a change in resonant frequency [8]. The feed line is made to be a quarter wavelength of the operating frequency. The width of patch can be determined using the equation 1.6, and the result for all the calculation as shown in table 1.1.

The patchs length can be calculated using the equations 1.7 .The lengths extension, L there is a fringe factor and the effective permittivity, reff have to be calculated before calculating the length of the microstrip patch as shown in equation 1.8 and 1.9 The h is the height of the substrate while the W is the width of the patch as calculated before.

In this design, FR4 substrate has been used with substrate parameters are tan =0.019, thickness of the substrate, h=1.6 mm. Substituting W=22.21 mm, r= 4.7 in equation (1.9) we get reff = 5.43, Hence L = 0.4269. The length extension is to be calculated by (1.7) and produce the length of the patch to be 15.24 mm.The type of feeding technique is the inset feed technique. It is one of the best feeding techniques and it is also easy to control the input impedance of the antenna [8]. The input impedance level of the patch can be control by adjusting the length of the inset. The calculation of the inset fed is shown in the equations 2.1 which show the resonant input resistance for the microstrip patch.

L is the length of the patch, is the length of the inset, and G1 is the conductance of the microstrip radiator. As reported in frequency [8], the calculations for finding the inset length can be simplified as shown in the equation 2.2. This equation is valid for r from 2 to 10, since in the design case the value of substrate is 4.7, so the equation valid to be use. Using the equation below helps to ease the calculation for the inset length of the microstrip antenna.

The summary of the calculated characteristics of the designed patch antenna is shown on Table 1.1. All calculation for square patch dimension is applied onto CST Studio Suite 2009.From the result it show that for single patch the inset fed length l is alias at 5.5mm but for the array antenna the value alias at 6.8mm there is close to the value of calculation. 3.2 Microstrip 2x2 array antenna design

Figure 2: 2x2 Array Patches

Table 2: 2x 2 Array Patches Dimension

The distance between the antenna elements has been optimized using software and the value alias at 24.38mm. From optimization procedure using CST 2009 software, the results is showed that, to achieve better isolation the adjacent elements should be separated by the distance of at least /2. In this design /(2(4.7)-1/2) = 17.3 mm ,where value is 75mm, but after optimization procedure the better result alias at 24.38 mm between two horizontal patches. Figure 1 and Figure 2 show the geometry dimension of the proposed array. 3.3 Microstip matching line array design An example T-junction power divider is shown as figure 2.1. The 50 ohm line is the input, and two 100 ohm lines are the outputs. This splits the power evenly (the 100 ohm lines are equal magnitude). Also, the splitter is matched, since the two 100 ohm lines in parallel create a 50 ohm match. Unfortunately, the output lines are now 100 ohms and do match other 50 ohm components to which they might be attached.

Figure 2.1: Feed 50

to 100

To match the 100 ohm lines to 50 ohm lines on the output, Quarter wave transformers was being used. The impedance of the quarter wave transformer is calculated from (1.2.1). Thus Zo = (100) (50) = 70.7 ohms. For other matching line impedance is stated inside table 2. For the calculation purposes equation 1.1 were use to calculate the reff and equation 1.2 is to calculate the width of line impedance

Figure 2.2: Feed 100 to 70.7 matching transformer Figure 2.2 show overall design of impedance matching section that will enable the array system to be function with optimum performance 3.4 Front to back ratio calculation

It is often useful to compare the front-to-back ratio of directional antennas. This is the ratio of the maximum directivity of an antenna to its directivity in the opposite direction. For example, when the radiation pattern is plotted on a relative dB scale, the front-to-back ratio is the difference in dB between the level of the maximum radiation in the forward direction and the level of radiation at 180 degrees. 6.2dB - (-11.4 dB) = 17.6dB for single antenna 11.5dB - (-23.6dB) = 35.1 dB for array antenna By referring to the figure 5 and figure 5.2, for the antenna orientation in the design, 90 degrees represents the peak forward gain heading and shows a gain of 6.2 dBi for single antenna and array antenna 11.5 dBi. Directly opposite, at an angle of 270 degrees, and from figure 5.1, a gain of -11.4dBi recorded for single antenna and from figure 5.3, -23.6 dB was recorded for array antenna. The 180-degree front-to-back ratio is the forward gain minus the gain directly opposite, so the front to back ratio for the single patch antenna is 17.6 dB and for the 2 x 2 array antenna show better result 35.1 dB for front to back ratio value. These result leads to the conclusion that array antenna obtain better gain directivity compared to single antenna by referring to the value of front to back ratio obtained by calculation.

3.5

Beamwidth of the antenna

The beamwidth of the antenna is a measure of its directivity. In the case of the radiation pattern of Fig. 5, the beamwidth is the width, in degrees, of the main lobe. The beamwidth is typically measured between the -3 dB points, i.e. the points on the main lobe where the signal strength drops off -3 dB (one-half) from the maximum signal point. The gain of the antenna is inversely proportional to the beam width: the narrower the beamwidth the higher the gain. From the radiation pattern as shown in Fig 5 and figure 5.1 for single patch result and figure 5.2 and figure 5.3 for array antenna result, the normalized value of the radiation pattern which 50 input impedance will give half power beamwidth value. Half power beamwidth is a measurement of angular spread of the radiated energy. From this radiation pattern, the values at 3 dB for E-plane and H-plane are 97.8 for single patch and 49.3o for array antenna respectively. The summary of the simulation results for single element patch design is shown in Table 3. Half power beamwidth for both E and H-Plane, directivity and gain that has extracted from radiation pattern are also shown in this table 4. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Figures 6.1 show simulation result of return loss for 2x2 array antenna obtained by using CST Studio Suite software. According to table 3, the result of the return loss of a single patch design has a good result at frequency of 4 GHz which is-19.5dB which could be considered as a good result. Where at the resonant frequency of 4GHz which is the intended design frequency has a value of -10dB.But it obtained a better result when that single patch antenna was arrayed and simulated, the result show that at resonant frequency 4GHz the result for S11 parameter show a splendid result better than single patch antenna the reading is about -42.8dB.This show that the antenna reflection is better when array antenna is performed and showed from the result that array antenna better about -23.3dB compared to single patch antenna. The bandwidth obtained from the simulation of this microstrip antenna for single patch antenna is 150 MHz which in percentage value is 3.75%, while the bandwidth is much narrower for 2x2 array antenna that is only 130 MHz and the percentage is about 23.25%.This result confirmed the theory that the lower the value of bandwidth the more gain and reflective obtained by that antenna [2]. When a transmission line (cable) is terminated by impedance that does not match the characteristic impedance of the transmission line, not all of the power is absorbed by the termination. Part of the power is reflected back down the transmission line. The forward (or incident) signal mixes with the reverse (or reflected) signal to cause a voltage standing wave pattern on the transmission line. The ratio of the maximum to minimum voltage is known as VSWR, or Voltage Standing Wave Ratio. A VSWR of 1:1 means that there is no power being reflected back to the source. This is an ideal situation that rarely, if ever, is seen. In the real world, a VSWR of 1.2 is considered excellent in most cases [3]. In the design case, the VSWR obtained for single antenna alias at 1.2 as show in figure 6.1, and for 2 x2 array patch antenna the result showed that the VSWR value is less compared to the single patch antenna and show better result of reading. From figure 6.3 the value is about 1.01 and it show that both antenna a good for transmitting antenna since the result is less than 1.2 as reported in [3].

Table 3: Summary of Simulation Result for Single Patch and 2 x2 Array Antennas

4.1

Far field result

Figure 5: Polar Array Antenna

Figure 5.1: Polar Array (in 3D view)

Figure 5.2: Polar Single Antenna

Figure 5.3: Polar Single (in 3D view)

Figure 6.1: S11 result for 2 x2 array (S11:-42.8dB) at 4GHz 5. CONCLUSION

A microstrip rectangular patch array antenna that feed by inset feed method has been simulated and compared with the single rectangle antenna. The performance was measured and it shows that the array antenna outperform the single antenna in terms of directivity, bandwidth and gain. Overall, the performance of the array antenna meets the desired requirement in terms of return loss and VSWR. The simulation return loss is -19.5 dB for single antenna and -42.8 dB for array antenna and VSWR is 1.2 for single antenna and 1.01 for array antenna at the center frequency of 4GHz. Adding to this, the performance of the microstrip array antenna strongly depends on several factors such as feeding technique, type of substrate, the thickness and dielectric constant of substrate respectively.

6.

REFERENCES

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[7] M. A. R. Osman (2006). Microstrip Array Antenna For Automobile Radar System. Master of Electrical Telecommunication Engineering Master's Thesis, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, May,. [8] M. Ramesh, K. B. Yip (2003), Design Inset Fed Microstrip Antenna, Microwaves and RF Letters, vol.42, no. 12. [9] Shun-Yun Lin and Kuang-Chih Huang (. 2005). A compact Microstrip Antenna for GP and DCS Application. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagation. vol. 53, No.3, pp. 1227-1229. [10] IEEE Std 802.16-2004, IEEE Standard for Local and Metropolitan Area Networks, Part 16: Air Interface for Fixed Broadband Wireless Access Systems, March 2004. [11] Rod B. Waterhouse, S. D. Targonski, and D. M. Kokotoff, Design and Performance of Small Printed Antennas, VOL. 46, NO. 11,pp.1629-1633, 1998.