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TechSys2019 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 618 (2019) 012017 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/618/1/012017

Design of phased antenna array for UHF RFID applications

I Nachev1 and P Z Petkov1

1
Technical University of Sofia, Faculty of Telecommunications, RCVT

[email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. The paper present design of low-cost antenna array for RFID indentification in the
frequency range 865 to 868 Mhz. The design antenna has enhanced coverage (pattern) and
beam-steering capabilities. It can serve as a base element for more sophisticated RFID readers
with direction finding capabilities and improved distance of tag reading.

1. Introduction
In the recent years, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems have been gaining strong
technological development. RFID technology is a technology that reads remotely (several centimeters
to several meters) a tag in order to tracking it, and this tag can be sticked to a person, vehicle, cargo,
etc in order to track it. A reader is basically a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, controlled by a
microprocessor or another type of a digital controller. An RFID reader emits electromagnetic signals
where an RFID tag draws power and retranslate the response. The reader antenna should have a
circular polarization (CP) characteristic since the tag antenna can be arbitrarily positioned on the
target. In RF design, patch array can be used because of their advantages in this field: such as light
weight, small volume, low fabrication cost, high gain, the possibility of integrating a scanning
systems, et cetera. In this paper, an improved RFID reader design is demonstrated, with employment
of scanning phased antenna array, which will increase reader’s technical characteristics [1].

2. Patch array design approach.

The employed substrate for the proposed design is Rogers FR4 with thickness h=2mm and Dissipation
factor tanδ = 0.03. In order to improve the bandwidth and efficiency of antennas, a design method
called “suspended substrate” is chosen, where the thickness of the gap between ground plane and
antenna is ∆=3mm. In this method we use the equivalent Dielectric constant (6). Distribution of the
elements of the simulated model, as with radars frequency ƒc = 866.5MHz. For calculation of antenna
dimensions a straightforward basic algorithm is proposed:
Step 1: Calculation of width (W): Width of the Micro strip antenna is given by the common known
equation:
1

c   r 1 2 W (1)
W    , 1
2 fc  2  h

Where c is the speed of the light c=3*108, 𝜀𝑟 is the relative dielectric constant of the substrate, fc is
radar frequency and h is substrate thickness.

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TechSys2019 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 618 (2019) 012017 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/618/1/012017

Step 2: Calculation of Effective Length (L): Length of the microstrip radiator is given by:
𝑐
𝐿 = 2𝑓 (2)
𝑐 √𝜀𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑓

Where fc is radar frequency and 𝜀𝑒𝑓𝑓 is effectively dielectric constant of substrate

Step 3. Calculation of the Length extension (Lext): The actual length is obtained by the equation
(accounting for the fringing fields):

W
( eff  0.3)(  0.264)
Lext  0.412h h (3)
W
( eff  0.258)(  8)
h

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style to the title page. This paragraph follows a section title so it should not be indented.

Step 4: Calculation of the actual length of the Patch (L) and the rest of the design parameters: The
actual length of the patch is given by:

r 1  r 1
0.5
h
 eff   1  10  (4)
2 2  W

The length of the guided wave and the equivalent permittivity accounted for the air gap:

 c
g   (5)
 eff fc  eff

 r * (h  )
 r eq  (6)
r  h*

Where 𝜀𝑟 is a dielectric constant of substrate and ∆ is thickness of the air gap. The dielectric constant
in accounted for the gap between ground and the suspended substrate is marked with 𝜀𝑟 𝑒𝑞.

In table 1 are presented the values obtained for dimensions of the antenna components. Fig.1 shows
simulation model of antenna system - consists of 4 array each one has 4 elements with series fed patch
array, which are relevant by using of corporate feed. Using this model, scanning is available only in
azimuth. The rounded edges of the square model of patch antenna provides circular
polarization.[2][3][4]

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TechSys2019 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 618 (2019) 012017 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/618/1/012017

Table 1. Values obtained for dimensions of the antenna

components.
W, cm 𝐿𝑒𝑓𝑓 ,mm
Calculated 12.2 13.6
Adjusted after simulation 12.5 13.25

Figure 1. Patch array – the simulation model

3. Transmission line phase shifter.

The Butler matrix employed in this designis a type of beam-forming network. Depending on which
input is excited, the antenna beam is steered in a specific direction in one plane. It performs a similar
function to a Rotman lens and is a simple form of phased array antenna system. The Butler matrix
consists N inputs and N output port. The design of Butler matrix is consisted of combination of hybrid
couplers, phase shifters and crossovers. Values of the typical Butler matrix is show on table 2.

Described beamformer of the phased antenna array uses a hybrid T junction system that divides the
input power in 4 equal parts. In this paper is described how - by changing electric length of microstrip
lines (ML), changes the phases of the RF signals, thus steering the beam, for this purpose use the
second and third row of Butler matrix (Fig. 2). This arrangement gives the opportunity to steer the
beam in three different positions: -45; 0; +45 deg. Similar problems are discussed also in [5],[6],[7].

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TechSys2019 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 618 (2019) 012017 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/618/1/012017

Table 2. Values of the Butler Matrix

Patch array I II III IV

electrical length extensions 45o 90 o 135 o 190 o

electrical length extensions 135 o 0o 225 o 90 o

electrical length extensions 190 o 135 o 90 o 45 o

electrical length extensions 90 o 225 o 0o 135 o

Figure 2. Switched line phase shifter

Table 3. Relation between beam streering and radiator’s phases

Beam direction I II III IV

0 0 deg 0O 0O 0O 0O

+45 deg 135O 0O 225 O 90 O

-45 deg 90 O 225 O 0O 135 O

4. Phase delay line control system

On Figure 3 a graphical relation between radiating antenna, feed, phase delay lines and hybrid T
junctions is shown. Beam steering is accomplished by switching between microstrip lines with
different lengths, using PIN diodes or different models RF switches, in this case we can use PE4259,
Peregrine Semiconductors. This leads to required beam scanning (Tabl. 3).

5. Simulations results
In this section results obtained by simulation are shown. On Fig. 4 is displayed the return loss of the
single segment (vertical seral array) of antenna, with the presence of the adjacent elements. In other
words, the coupling between elements is included. Figures 5 and 6 show S11 parameters of the entire
array with feed network for different scan angles. It is evident, that the operational impedance

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TechSys2019 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 618 (2019) 012017 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/618/1/012017

bandwidth of the array exceeds the required bandwidth for RFID applications with a great margin. The
next figures, Fig. 7 and 8 show the antenna radiation pattern in azimuth for 0, +45 and -45deg beam
steering. The beam shape is steered according to calculations and performs as described in the theory.
The results show that even a small array with significant phase step between elements can bring a
satisfactory results for such type of applications.

Figure 3. Design model printed on PCB of antenna phasing section

Figure 4. Antenna array bandwidth (vertical segments), dB

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TechSys2019 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 618 (2019) 012017 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/618/1/012017

Figure 5. Frequency bandwidth of the feed network inputs, dB

Figure 6. Antenna array bandwidth for the 3 cases of scan angle

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TechSys2019 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 618 (2019) 012017 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/618/1/012017

Figure 7. Radiation Pattern at 0 deg mode

Figure 8. Radiation Pattern at +-45 deg mode

In table 4, a comparison of gains in beam`s different state. Figure 10 and 11 shows return loss and
VSWR on antenna array inputs, after connecting the array and the fed network, depending on the
mode of operation.

Table 4. Simulated Antenna array gain

Beam direction Antenna array
gain, dBi
0 0 deg 16.23

+45deg. 14.83

-45deg 14.86

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TechSys2019 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 618 (2019) 012017 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/618/1/012017

6. Sample algorithm for beamforming control code

As addition to the beam steering antenna array, authors propose a simple algorithm for
programmable microprocessors/controllers to perform scanning for RFID tags (targets) and control the
phase shifters. Fig. 9 shows algorithm block diagram of the code for beamforming control.

Figure 9. Proposed aalgorithm for beamforming control.

7. Conclusion
A simulation design RFID antenna array can be integrated into advanced, controllable RFID reader
system, which work on EU-UHF license for Radio-frequency identification. The proposed antenna
array has many advantages over typical antennas for that technology – simplicity, cost effectiveness
and beam steering capability, as a disadvantage it can be pointed out the increased size of the entire
antenna array.

Acknowledgments
This material is based upon work supported by the Bulgarian Science Fund under Grant No
DN07/19/15.12.2016

References
[1] Klaus Finkenzeller, ”RFID HANDBOOK”, Wiley, 2010
[2] Chang, Kai; "RF and Microwave Wireless Systems",Wiley, 2000
[3] FR4 specification: www.rogerscorp.com
[4] J R James & P S Hall, “Handbook of microstrip antennas ”, Peregrinus, 1993
[5] Akhtar A., Mateen Alahi H., Sehnan M., "Simulation of Phased A rrays with Rectangular
Microstrip Patches on Photonic Crystal Substrates", MSc thesis, Linaeus University
[6] J. Ehmouda, Z. Briqech, and A. Amer, "Steered Microstrip Phased Array Antennas", World
Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, issue: 49, 2009, p. 321 - p. 323
[7] Ilia Iliev, Stanio Kolev, Stoicho Manev „ Reduction of the frequency offset influence in OFDM
using an optimal PRS coding and MLSD „ Internat Journal of Research in Computer and
Communication Technology, Vol 3, Issue 1