A Novel Approach on Miniaturization of Microstrip

Patch Antenna with Loaded Strips

Avisankar Roy
Dept. ofECE
Haldia Institute of
Technology,
Haldia, WB, India

Praveen Kumar
C houdhary

Saurabh Anand

Dept. ofECE

Haldia Institute of
Technology,

Partha Pratim Sarkar

DETS

Sunandan Bhunia
Dept. ofECE

University of Kalyani
Kalyani, Nadia, WB,
India

Haldia Institute of
Technology,

Dept. ofECE

Haldia Institute of
Technology,

Haldia, WB, India

Haldia, WB, India

Haldia, WB, India

Abstract-

A novel approach on miniaturization of microstrip

patch antenna with multi frequency operation is proposed in this

article. In this paper we introduce symmetrical strips in both non
radiating side of single layered,

single coaxial fed rectangular

microstrip patch antenna. It has been investigated that the strip

loaded microstrip patch antenna radiates multiple frequencies and
about 82% size reduction has been achieved. This result has been
found by cutting slot on the patch and taking the ground plane is
almost three times larger than the radiating patch.

Keywords-Microstrip
frequency, Strips

I.

patch

antenna,

Compact,

antenna with only 47.4% size reduction by cutting slots on the

patch which is not very new concept. S Das et al. [10] shows
some basic structures of slotted rectangular patch antenna for
multi frequency operation. Sathiyamoorthy Murugan et al.
[11] has proposed a dual frequency microstrip patch antenna
by cutting U slots on the patch and using air gap between
patch and ground plane which is a very complex structure to
fabricate.

Multi

INTRODUCTION

Microstrip patch antenna has several attractive features of

small size, light weight, easy integration capability with
circuits [1-2]. Due to these advantages, microstrip patch
antennas are used in portable devices such as mobile phones,
laptops etc [3]. To reduce the size of these devices the
components used inside them must be reduced. As microstrip
patch antenna is one of the most important parts of those
portable devices, miniaturization of microstrip patch antenna
is thus a very important issue. In addition with the compact
microstrip patch antenna it can be used for multi frequency
and multiband operations.
Several techniques are used to get compact microstrip patch
antenna. Multi frequency or multiband operation can be
achieved by cutting the slots of various shapes on the patch
and/or on the ground plane [4-11]. S Sarkar et at. [5] has
proposed another new technique for miniaturization of
microstrip patch antenna by cutting slots on the ground plane.
But this structure radiates only single frequency. U
Chakraborty et al. [6] has proposed a single layered single fed
compact microstrip patch antenna with triangular slot but has
found only 46.2% size reduction. Mahmoud N Mahmoud et al.
[7] has proposed a structure for multi frequency operation
using mutual coupling mechanism between two microstrip
patches but size reduction has not been reported and seems to
be not remarkable. TWang et al. [8] has reported multi
frequency operation with defected ground structure and
slotted patch that is also very conventional process. Samiran
Chatterjee et al. [9] has proposed a compact microstrip patch

[n this paper a new technique has been introduced for

miniaturization of microstrip patch antenna and multi
frequency operation with sufficient gain and radiation
characteristics have been found. In the proposed structure two
unequal strips in both non radiating side of the rectangular
patch have been attached symmetrically. The ground plane
has been taken three times larger than the modified patch
including strips and coaxial feed has been used for excitation.
The reference and proposed antenna are designed on thin
substrate of thickness h=1.524mm and dielectric constant Cr
3. The reference patch radiates 5.7GHz frequency and the
proposed rectangular microstrip patch with loaded strips
radiates five different frequencies among which minimum is
2.8 GHz. The proposed patch with loaded strips and slots
radiates in four different frequencies but the lowest radiating
frequency comes down to 2.1GHz which gives about 82% size
reduction.
=

[I.

ANTENNA DESIGN

The width (W) and the length (L) of reference antenna

(Antenna1) are calculated from conventional equations
discussed in literature [12-13].

J(1:r)

(1)

- 2L

(2)

fr= 2
L=

Lett

w
(Ereff +0.3)(-;;+0.264)
Where, -- 0.412
w
h
(Ereff -0.258)(-;;+0.8)
_(Er +1)
(Er -1)
Crett
2 +2
(1+12 )
LlL _

---

(3)
(4)

Leff=

(5)

-2fr,jreff

Where Leff is the effective length of the patch,

L is the

normalized extension of the patch length due to fringe field,

Ere
is the effective dielectric constant, other symbols have
ff
their usual meanings.

Imm

The length (L) and width (W) of the patch of Microstrip

antenna are 14mm and 18mm respectively with substrate of
thickness h=1.524mm and dielectric constant Er=3.
The ground plane of Antenna Iis three times larger than
patch to fulfil the infinite ground plane concept and coaxial
cable feed has been used at optimum location. The resonant
frequency of Antenna 1 structure is 5.7 GHz with return loss 23.5 dB and bandwidth is 3.2% of center frequency. Antenna
2 structure has been designed with same parameter and in
addition of two unequal strips on both sides of reference patch
symmetrically. It radiates five different frequencies among
which 2.8 GHz is the minimum with very narrow bandwidth.
Antenna 3 structure has been also designed with same
parameter and same strips on both sides of reference patch
loaded with L shaped and triangular shaped slots. It radiates
four frequencies among which 2.1 GHz is the minimum and
82% size reduction has been thus achieved. Antenna 1,
Antenna 2 and Antenna 3 structure are shown in Fig.I-3.

1< ========1= 8 =m=m======}

I-

'71_

9mm

.1
1

->If-lmm

,
-IImm

Patch

h=1.S24mm
Ground Plane

Fig.3. Antenna 3 structure (Slotted patch with strips)

III.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The reference antenna (Antenna 1) radiates 5.7 GHz with

return loss -23.5dB and bandwidth is 182MHz i.e. 3.2% of
center frequency. The patch with addition of strips (Antenna 2)
radiates five frequencies i.e. 2.8GHz, 5.67GHz, 6.8GHz,
7.1GHz and 7.7GHz with return loss -15.7dB, -19dB, -19AdB,
-11.8dB and -12.3dB respectively. The patch with slot and
strips (Antenna 3) radiates four frequencies i.e. 2.1GHz,
5.1GHz, 5.5GHz and 6.65GHz with return loss -l3dB, -15dB,
-13.7dB and -17.6dB respectively. The results are shown in
tabular form in Table I and Table II. The respective frequency
vs return loss graphs are shown in FigA-6.

SIMULATED RETURN LOSS RESULTS FOR REFERENCE ANTENNA

[Ji]

Structure

4.67 mm
L-________________I L_
Patch

Ground Plane

l mm

TABLE I

14mm

Feeding Point

lmm

Antenna 1
(Reference
Patch)

Resonant
Frequency
(GHz)

Return
Loss (dB)

Bandwidth
(%)

Gain (dBi)

5.7

-23.5

3.2

4.6

Coaxial Probe

Fig.l. Antenna I structure (Reference Patch)

TABLE III
SIMULATED RETURN LOSS RESULTS FOR PROPOSED ANTENNA

lmm

l m

I mm

-."
.,

.--_____________________

lmm

K;

.......

Structure

Imm

I
rudin, Point

-.Ie
>mm

[] -
4.,Smm

Patch
h1_S24

i'--L

mm

Ground Plan&-

Fig.2. Antenna 2 structure (Patch with strips)

Resonant
Frequency
(GHz)

Return
Loss (dB)

Bandwidth
(%)

Gain (dBi)

Antenna 2
(with strips)

2.8
5.67
6.8
7.1
7.7

-15.7
-19
-19.4
-11.8
-12.3

0.6
4.8
0.35
--0.5

4.4
6
7.5
2.5
1.9

Antenna 3
(with slots
and strips)

2.1
5.1
5.5
6.65

-13
-15
-13.7
-17.6

0.5
1.5
3.7
I

-I
5
5.4
4.6

lmm

The simulated radiation patterns of reference antenna and

proposed antenna are shown in Fig.7-I I.

-5
A
I

D
I

-10

(J)

g'l

---1

E
:::l
Q)

-15

(a)

0::

(b)

Fig.7. Simulated radiation pattern for Antenna I at 5.7GHz

(a) E-Plane (b) H-Plane

-20

-25

Frequency (G Hz) - >

Fig.4. Return Loss graph for Antenna 1

(a)

(b)

Fig.S. Simulated radiation pattern for Antenna 3 at 2.1GHz

(a) E-Plane (b) H-Plane

-5
A

J..
w
'"

UJ
8
--'

-10

E
:::J

&1

-15

(a)

-20

(b)

Fig.9. Simulated radiation pattern for Antenna 3 at 5.1GHz

(a) E-Plane (b) H-Plane
3

Frequencv (GHz)-->
Fig.5. Return Loss graph for Antenna 2

-2
4

.1
co

-6

UJ

-8

'"

If)
0
--'

E
:::J

Q)

0:

(a)

(b)

Fig.10. Simulated radiation pattern of Antenna 3 at 5.5GHz

(a) E-Plane (b) H-Plane

-10
-12
.'

-14
-16
-18
-20
3

Frequency(GHz)-->
Fig.6. Return Loss graph for Antenna 3

(a)

(b)

Fig.ll. Simulated radiation pattern of Antenna 3 at 6.65GHz

(a) E-Plane (b) H-Plane

In the radiation pattern it has been observed that the 3 dB

beamwidth for proposed Antenna 3 is varying between 50 to
100 and the cross polarization level is much below than the
co polarization level.
IV.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Authors are grateful to Department of Science and

Technology, Government of India for supporting research
grant under Young Scientist Scheme by Dr. Sunandan Bhunia
vide sanction no. SERB/F/20121 2012-2013 dated 11/07/2012.
REFERENCES
Garg, Bhatia, Bahl and Ittipiboon, "Micristrip Antenna Design
Artech House INC, Norwood, NA 2001.
Kin-Lu Wong, "Planer Antennas for Wireless Communications", John
Wiley & Sons Ltd,2003.
Zhi Ning Chen, "Antennas for Portable Devices", John Wiley & Sons
Ltd,2007.
S.Bhunia, D.Sarkar, S,Biswas, P.P.Sarkar, B.Gupta" K.Yasumoto
"Reduced Size Small Dual and Multi-Frequency Microstrip Antenna" ,
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April 2008.
S. Sarkar,A. Das Majumdar, S. Mondal, S. Biswas,D. Sarkar and P.P.
Sarkar, "Miniaturization of Rectangular Microstrip Patch Antenna
Using Optimized Single-Slotted Ground Plane", Microwave and
Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 53,No. I,pp. 111-115,January 2011.
U. Chakraborty, S. Chatterjee, S.K. Chowdhury and P.P. Sarkar, "A
Comact Microstrip Patch Antenna For Wireless Communication",
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201I.
Mahmoud N. Mahmoud and Reyhan Baktur,"A Dual Band Microstrip
Fed Slot Antenna",IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation,
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T. Wang, Y.-Z. Yin, .I. Yang, Y.-L. Zhang, and .1.-.1. Xie, "Compact
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Handbook:',

[2]
[3]
[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]
[8]

[10]

CONCLUSION

A novel method for miniaturization of microstrip patch

antenna is proposed in this paper. The proposed antenna is
low profile single layered single fed compact multi frequency
microstrip patch antenna. Two unequal rectangular strips have
been used in both non radiating sides of rectangular microstrip
patch to lower the resonant frequency. In most research
articles compact microstrip patch antenna has been found by
cutting the slots on the patch and/or in the ground plane.
Defected ground structure has also been used to reduce the
antenna size in some articles. In this experiment compact
microstrip patch antenna has been designed by adding
rectangular strips and 82% size reduction has been found with
good return loss which is very much appreciable than other
conventional methods. This proposed antenna also radiates
multiple frequencies. The simulated gains for some
frequencies are found to be good enough in proposed antenna
but for some of frequencies gains are very low, although the
gains can be increased by some conventional methods such as
using multiple layers, PIFA structure, fractal antenna etc. In
radiation patterns cross polarization level are also well below
the co polarization level which is highly desirable for the
communication purposes. In this paper a new approach for
miniaturization of rectangular microstrip patch antenna has
been focused. The simulated results are really encouraging
and need to verify experimentally.

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[9]

[11]

[12]
[13]

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