Journal of Millimeterwave Communication, Optimization and Modelling v.

1 (2)-2021

Design and Simulation of 2.4 GHz Microstrip

Antenna
Ahmet Can Çakır Cihat Şeker
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Karabuk University Karabuk University
Karabuk, Turkey Karabuk, Turkey
[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract— As a result of developments in communication II. DESIGN OF ANTENNA

systems in recent decades, the need for smaller, more
lightweight, and higher-performance antennas has increased. In order to calculate the patch sizes of the antenna
One of the leading antenna types that can meet these needs is operating at the targeted frequency, several parameters must
microstrip antennas. They provide many advantages such as be determined beforehand. These are the antenna's resonance
their small size, easy to manufacture, and low cost. In addition frequency ”fo”, the substrate thickness “h”, and the dielectric
to these advantages, they also have weaknesses such as low constant of the substrate material “εr” . In this study, FR-4
bandwidth. In this study, a rectangular microstrip patch with relative dielectric constant εr=4.4, height h=1.6 mm are
antenna operating at 2.4 GHz resonance frequency is chosen as suitable substrate materials, and ground thickness is
constructed. The antenna is designed on FR-4 substrate with a chosen as t=35 µm. In this study, it is aimed to reduce the
thickness of 1.6 mm and dielectric constant εr=4.4. It has three return loss by keeping h, εr, fo as constant and by optimizing
slots. Two on the patch and one on the ground plane. Desired other parameters. With the specified parameters, the patch
patch antenna design is simulated by CST. The return loss of the width (Wp) is calculated using equation (1) as follows,
designed antenna is –43 dB, and its bandwidth is 70 MHz.

Keywords—2.4 GHz, microstrip patch antenna, bandwidth, c 2

Wp = √ ()
CST Microwave Studio, return loss 2f0 𝜀r +1

I. INTRODUCTION Where:
Antenna is a key device element in transmitting and c = free-space velocity of light.
receiving signals. Due to their appealing qualities such as light fo = resonance frequency.
weight, easy fabrication, cheap cost, and compatibility with εr = dielectric constant.
planar monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC)
components, microstrip patch antennas are preferred in Since microstrip antennas do not have a homogeneous
wireless communication systems [1]. structure, it causes a change in the electrical transmittance
The most common band type used for microstrip patch value. 𝜀reff is calculated by equations (2) and (3).
antennas in home, office, and industrial applications is ISM
Wp
(Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) band with 2400-2485 >1 ()
MHz. IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) ℎ
the wireless network developed by WLAN (Wireless Local 1
−
Area Network) the general name of the standard is IEEE 𝜀𝑟 +1 𝜀 −1 ℎ 2
802.11 and the ISM wireless LAN operating in the 2.4 GHz ε𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑓 = + 𝑟2 [1 + 12 𝑊 ] ()
2 𝑝
band the standard is defined as IEEE 802.11b and IEEE
802.11g. Although there are the same differences between
them, basically the 802.11 family uses the same protocols. In
the literature, microstrip patch many studies have been carried
out to increase the bandwidth and gain of antennas [2,4]. The
essential microstrip receiving wire component involves a
metal fix upheld over a bigger ground plane. The fix is
normally printed on a microwave substrate material with
relative permittivity in the range 2 to 10. Yet an assortment of
materials might be utilized, contingent upon the application.
Air or low-thickness froths normally offer the lowest loss
and most elevated radiation productivity, but higher
permittivity substrates result in smaller components with more
extensive radiation designs [5]. The conducting patch is the
Fig. 1. Microstrip patch antenna
key component of the microstrip antenna (MSA) that impacts
antenna performance by modifying return loss, surface current Leff is the effective length of the patch and ΔL represents
distribution, band-width, impedance matching, harmonic the length augmentation calculated by equations (4) and (5).
suppression property and radiation pattern [6][7]. Essentially,
the traditional structure of MSAs come about a metal radiating 1
patch aspect that is on top of a grounded dielectric substrate of L𝑒𝑓𝑓 = 2𝑓 ()
𝑟 √𝜀𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑓 √𝜇0 𝜀0
precise thickness [8].

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Journal of Millimeterwave Communication, Optimization and Modelling v.1 (2)-2021

𝑊𝑝
0.412ℎ(𝜀𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑓 +0.3)( +0.264)
∆𝐿 = ℎ
𝑊𝑝 ()
(𝜀𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑓 −0.258)( +0.8)
ℎ

The reel length Lp of the patch is then calculated by the

following equation (6).

1
L𝑝 = L𝑒𝑓𝑓 − 2∆𝐿 = 2𝑓 − 2∆𝐿 ()
𝑟 √𝜀𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑓 √𝜇0 𝜀0

As a result, Wp=38 mm, Lp=29.5 mm are found. The

width of the ground plane is determined as Wg=76 mm and
the length as Lg=59 mm. Microstrip feeding method is used
as the feeding method and the length of the transmission line
is optimized as 14.75 mm and the thickness as 3.147 mm. The
width of the transmission line is determined by changing it
Fig. 2. Patch
according to the impedance match. Two symmetrical slots are
made on the patch surface of the antenna. By changing the slot
dimensions, the antenna is provided to operate at the desired
resonance frequency and the return loss is reduced.
Another slot was opened on the ground plane. By changing
the size of the slot opened on the ground plane, optimum value
for the antenna performance was found. The length of the
opened 17.93mm. The simulations of the designed antenna are
carried out on the CST Studio Suite.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In the simulation of the designed microstrip antenna,
optimized results were obtained by changing the slot
dimensions and the thickness of the microstrip feeding line
and by keeping other parameters constant. Results such as
Return Loss, Gain, VSWR, Radiation Pattern were studied
between 2 GHz and 2.8 GHz. Analysis results are shown with
figures. The length of the slot was optimized by increasing
from 1 mm to 59 mm by changing the length 1 mm in each Fig. 3. Ground plane of antenna
step. The best performing result is obtained when the length
of the slot is 17.93 mm. The return loss value is obtained
-44.78 dB, although the bandwidth is not very wide at the
resonance frequency. It has been observed that the bandwidth
at -10 dB is 70 MHz. The proposed antenna resonant ranges
are between 2.36 MHz and 2.43 MHz. The mentioned results
are shown in Table 2 and S-parameters shown in Fig.3.
It is shown in Fig.4 that the VSWR value of the designed
antenna is 1.013 dB.
Radiation pattern, the antenna radiated is a graph showing
the angular change of the power (electromagnetic field
strength) at a fixed distance, which is created in the specific
far area of the antenna. As seen Fig.5, for phi=90 at 2.4 GHz,
the main lobe amplitude 4.7 dB and 3dB angular bandwidth
(HPBW) for 107.3° and theta = 90 amplitude of the main lobe Fig. 4. S-Parameters
0.778 dB and 3 dB angular bandwidth (HPBW) is 148.3°. The
gain at resonance frequency 2.4 GHz is 4.702 dB. These
values are powerful according to the literature.
IV. CONCLUSIONS
This paper made a review on improving the performance
of the 2.4 GHz antenna. It has been observed that this antenna
can be used in modern communication. The return loss has
been measured to be quite efficient and its gain can be
considered sufficient according to the literature. Furthermore,
the bandwidth of the antenna is 2.91% of the resonant
frequency.

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Journal of Millimeterwave Communication, Optimization and Modelling v.1 (2)-2021

Fig. 5. VSWR simulation result Fig. 8. Farfield of antenna

Fig. 9. Surface current at 2.4 GHz

(a)
TABLE I. ANTENNA PARAMETERS

(b)

Fig. 6. a) phi=90 radiation pattern b) theta=90 radiation pattern TABLE II. RETURN LOSS AND BANDWIDTH
Resonant Return Loss Bandwidth
frequency (dB) (MHz)
(GHz)

2.4 -44.78 70

TABLE III. DIRECTIVITY

Resonant Frequency Directivity in Directivity in H-
(GHz) E-plane plane
(dB) (dB)

2.4 4.702 4.702

Fig. 7. Directivity at 2.4GHz E-plane and H-plane

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Journal of Millimeterwave Communication, Optimization and Modelling v.1 (2)-2021

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