Radiating Systems

IIT Bombay - EE 609

Lecture-4 (2023)
Microstrip Antennas: Basics and Broad Banding Techniques
Kushal R. Tuckley
[email protected] (Cell: +91 9869069155)
 Microstrip Antenna (MSA): Some Images
W

h 𝜖r
Line Feed

Co-axial Feed

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 Advantages and Disadvantages of MSA
Advantages Disadvantages
RF/ Microwave properties: RF/ Microwave properties:
(a) Linear and circular polarizations are possible. (a) Narrow bandwidth (< 8 %)
(b) Dual frequency designs are relatively easy to realize (b) Low power handling capacity (< 20Watt)
(c) Impedance matching on feed lines is simpler (c) Limited Gain (maximum 30 dB)
Physical Properties: (d) Surface waves are possible leading to power leakage
(a) Light weight, low volume, low profile (e) Poor isolation between the feed and radiating elements
(b) planar configuration, which can be made conformal. (f) Polarization purity is difficult to achieve
Economical Aspects : Physical Properties:
(a) Low fabrication cost and ease of mass production. (a) Size is large at lower frequency Disadvantages

Applications
(a) Hand-held : Pagers, Cell Phones, Voice command sets (b) Radars: Altimeter, Auto- radars, on-board seekers Fuze
(c) Communications: Satellite communicators, Navigators (d) Bio-Med : sensors, Wearable antennas)

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Microwave Integrated Circuits Vs Micro-Strip Antennas
Printed Circuit realization is used in both Microwave integrated Circuits (MICs) and Micro- Strip Antennas (MSAs)
However, MICs aim to contain the EM signals, while MSAs aim to radiate/ receive EM waves
Gross Considerations
Parameter MIC (Value, Motivation) MSA (Value, Motivation)
Relative Dielectric Constant (𝜖r) Large (> 9, Miniaturization) Small (≈3, to facilitate radiation)
Thickness Small (<0.5 mm, Miniaturization) Large (> 0.7 mm)
Width (W) Small (<0.5, Impedance dependent) Large(> 1.5 cm)
Radiation Minimum (< 5% leakage, confinement) Maximum (> 70%, radiation)
Examples Filters, power dividers, couplers, amplifiers Antennas
Popular Substrates
Substrate Relative Dielectric Constant (𝜖r) Loss Tangent (tanδ) Comparative Cost
Alumina 9.8 0.001 Very High
Glass Epoxy 4.4 0.02 Low
RT Duroid/ Arlon 2.2 0.0009 Very High
Foam 1.05 0.0001 Low/Medium
Air 1 0 NA
Reproduced from: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 6.1 to 6.33 4
 Different Shapes of Radiating Elements

Ring Patch with orthogonal feed

Triangular Patch Circular Patch

Different shaper of radiating/ terminating patches

Multi-Layered structure for Dual Polarization 5
 Different Types of Feeds for Microstrip Patches

Line Feed
Co-Axial Feed

Electromagnetically Aperture
Coupled Feed Coupled Feed

Reproduced from: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 8.10, 8.11,8.13, 8.14 6
 Impedance Matching in Line Feeds to MSA
• Matching the patch Impedance to the feed line is a must to ensure maximum power transfer
• This is generally done using one of the following techniques

Non-Radiating Edge Radiating edge Radiating edge with

off-centre Feed Inset feed quarter wave transformer

Reproduced from: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 8.10, 8.12 7
 Resonant Frequency of a Rectangular Patch
Le 𝐿𝑒 =L+2ΔL
ΔW is often much
L 𝑊𝑒 =W+2ΔW smaller than ΔL
H-Plane ℎ
ΔL≅
E-Plane
𝜖𝑒
W 0.5
We 𝑐 𝑚 2 𝑛 2
x 𝑓0 = 2 𝜖𝑒 𝐿𝑒
+
𝑊𝑒

A microstrip patch can resonate in multiple modes

The orthogonal indices are m and n.
Fundamental mode (radiating edges separated by L)
h is TM10→ m=1 and n=0
Electric Field Lines Ideal performance is obtained when the ground plane is
(L/2)+x (L/2)-x large. However, equivalent performance is observed if the
ground plane dimensions are ≥ (L+12h) X (W+12h)
Empirical observations indicate that the matching to 50Ω is
observed for (L/6 )< x< (L/4). Generally, x is higher (near
L/4) for higher values of ‘h’.
Electrical Circuit Model Source: Microstrip Antenna Design Handbook, Artech House, Norwood,
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MA, 2001. R. Garg, P. Bhartia, I. Bahl, A. Ittipiboon.
 Modes of Rectangular Microstrip Antenna

z In the mode nomenclature,

• first index is for the variation

along z-axis (direction of
propagation), Second one is for y
axis and the third for the x axis.
x
• Generally the First subscript is
dropped as there is never E-field
variation in the direction of
propagation

• e.g. TM010 is the same as TM10

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Design Calculations: Rectangular Microstrip Antenna (RMSA)
𝒙 *
𝝅 𝑳
The resistive part of the impedance variation for 0< x <L/2 is given by →𝑹 = 𝑹𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 −
𝑳 𝟐
Where, Redge- is the resistance of the edge. In most practical cases, L.6<x< L/4 works for matching to 50Ω
* Source: https://www.spu.edu.sy/downloads/files/1496043045_Simple%20model%20for%20the%20input%20impedance%20of%20coax-fed.pdf

𝜖𝑟 +1 𝜖𝑟 −1 10ℎ −1/2
Effective Relative Dielectric Constant (𝜖e) = + 1 +
2 2 𝑊

𝑐 The value of W could be chosen different

Width of the Patch (W) =
𝜖𝑟 +1 However, Bandwidth and Gain Increases with W.
2𝑓0
2 In other words, W↑ → BW ↑ and W↑ → Gain ↑

λ0 𝑐 ℎ
𝐿𝑒 =L+2ΔL= = We already know that ΔL≅
2 𝜖𝑒 2𝑓0 𝜖𝑒 𝜖𝑒

Effect of various parameters on performance is illustrated in 10

Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 8.14, 8.35
 Circular Microstrip Antennas (CMSA)
Fundamental mode in CMSA is TM11
Occasionally, other higher order modes are used
Mode Knm
TM11 1.84118
𝐾 𝑐
Resonant Frequency(𝑓0 )= 𝑛𝑚
2π𝑎𝑒 𝜖𝑒 TM 21 3.05424
TM 02 3.83171
Where, Knm is the Mth Root of derivative
of the Bessel function with order n TM12 5.33140
Top view of circular patch with
location of co-axial feed point A few values are

For fundamental (TM11) mode with the values of

a, h are in cm and 𝜖e< 𝜖r
8.791
𝑓0 ≅ ℎ
GHz
𝑎+ 𝜖 𝜖𝑒
𝑟

8.791 ℎ
Approximate value of ais given by 𝑎 ≅ (𝑓 −
0 𝜖𝑒 ) 𝜖𝑟
Typical Radiation pattern in TM11 Typical Radiation pattern in TM21
Different Examples with performance graphs including those for semi-circular and triangular MSA are given in
Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 8.36, 8.44 11
 Broadband Microstrip Antennas-1
Microstrip Antennas typically offer 5% to 8% bandwidth,
Increased bandwidth could obtained by increasing ‘h’ and W. However, it is at the cost of efficiency
Lower dielectric constant also results in the bandwidth but it increases the size
Many innovative techniques are being used. Some of them are as follows

1. Using Multi- resonators: This approach uses microstrip patches of different resonating frequencies

Individual
Patch BW

Resultant Bandwidth
Non-Radiating Edge Directly coupled Patches
Gap Coupled patches
coupled

More than 3 times enhancement to achieve up to 20% bandwidth

However, These patches need Different Examples with performance graphs are given in
to be combined suitably Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 9.2 to 9.24

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 Broadband Microstrip Antennas-2

Microstrip Line Fed-

Electromagnetically
coupled Antennas Microstrip Line Fed- Aperture coupled Antennas

More than 3 times enhancement to achieve up to 20% bandwidth

It is already seen that the MSA is used as a monopole antenna

with circular or triangular element. Around 200% bandwidth
can be achieved with Monopole MSA

Stacked Planer microstrip antennas (1B3T)

Different Examples with performance graphs are given in

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Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 9.25 to 9.29
Questions?

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