Design of Square Patch Microstrip Antenna with Diagonal Slotted Squares in Single Layer Configuration

I.V.S. Rama Sastry1, Associate professor, Department of ECE, Auroras Engineering College, Bhoingir, Nalgonda district A.P. Email: sastry_ivsr@yahoo.com Dr. K. Jaya Sankar2, Professor & Head, Department of ECE, Vasavi College of Engineering, Hyderabad; A.P. Email: kottaredyjs@gmail.com

AbstractThis paper presents simulation results of a square patch microstrip antenna with diagonal slotted squares in a single layer configuration. The proposed square patch microstrip antenna consists of three square slots made along the diagonal of the square patch and a diagonal slot line. The main objective of this work is to obtain a wide bandwidth with reduced antenna size. The antenna has a compact size of 26 mm 26 mm 1.6 mm and is directly fed with a microstrip feed line at one edge. Finite ground plane is used in this design. This design is simulated using IE3D simulation software. The simulation results indicate wide VSWR bandwidth of about 15.46 %. Ground plane effects and variation of diagonal slot lengths are also considered in investigating the characteristics of the antenna. The results for return loss and radiation pattern indicate the suitability of this design for WLAN applications. Key words Square patch antenna, slotted square, diagonal slot, microstrip line, finite ground, single layer structure. I.INTRODUCTION Considerable research has been done on microstrip antennas in recent years to exploit their small size at a lower cost. Although these antennas have proved to be excellent radiators for various applications, they have an inherently narrow bandwidth and low gain. The bandwidth of 1% to 2% is a major limiting factor for the widespread application of these antennas. Various techniques have been implemented in the past to overcome these shortcomings which include modifying the shape of the patch, making slots [4] on patch (V-slot, U-slot, H-slot, diagonal slot, square, ring slot antennas, etc) by different feeding methods in single layer and multilayer configurations. Thick, low permittivity substrates have also been used which further increase the size and inductivity of the antenna [5] & [6]. Size reduction is obtained by cutting narrow slot(s) on the patch with the ground plane. These advancements have witnessed a

corresponding progress in the fields where microstrip antennas are used. Microstrip slot antennas [2] have the advantage of being able to produce bidirectional and unidirectional radiation patterns with larger bandwidth. Strip and slot combinations offer an additional degree of freedom in the design of microstrip antennas. A combination of strip conductors and slots arranged along the sides of a microstrip feed can produce circularly polarized radiation. Slot antennas with desired polarization can be produced. They are less sensitive to manufacturing tolerances than the microstrip patch antennas. The microstrip- fed slot antenna has the advantage of very low cross polarization as compared to microstrip antennas. Its drawback is the inherently bidirectional radiation, which can be corrected by a metallic cavity or a metallic reflector on one side. In this paper, a single layer structure of square patch microstrip antenna with finite ground plane has been proposed at a frequency of 2.45 GHz for wireless applications. The square patch microstrip antenna consists of a square patch of side 26 mm and a three square slots of appropriate sizes made along the diagonal of the square patch. The size of center square slot is slightly bigger than the other two square slots. The other two square slots at corners are equal in size. The center square slot has 7 mm side and other two slots are of side 5 mm. These three square slots are coupled through a diagonal slotted line of 21 mm 2 mm. This antenna is fed with microstrip feed line at the edge of the patch. In the design of square patch microstrip antenna, substrate material Fr4 (Glass-Epoxy) with dielectric constant of 4.4 and thickness of 1.60 mm, has been used. The dimensions of square patch at frequency of 2.45 GHz have been arrived at by using Transmission line model. The side of patch is calculated as 28.8 mm. The entire antenna structure is made on single layer substrate material. The antenna is fed with a 50 Ohm, quarter wavelength matching line. Finite ground plane is used for this square patch. Square patch structure with a finite ground is

analyzed with MOM based simulation software (IE3D) The Geometry of the proposed antenna is shown in Fig. 1.

The length L is slightly less than a half wavelength in the dielectric. The calculation of precise value of the dimension L of the square patch is carried out by an iterative procedure as given below Step 4.1: To obtain initial value of L, we use equation  

Square patch

Feed line

For c =3 1010 cm/s, fo = 2.45 GHz and, this yields the value of L as L=29.18 mm. Step 4.2: The effective dielectric constant is calculated by using equation 2.1and it is reff = 4.020 Step 4.3: The differential length ( L) due to fringing fields can be obtained from equation.
Square slots Ground plane Fig. 1 Square patch MSA with square slots and with Finite Ground plane

 Substituting reff = 4.020 and h = 1.6 mm the value of L turns out to be 0.7360 mm. Step 4.4: For the Actual length of square  Substituting C = 3 1010 cm/sec, fo =2.45 GHz, reff = 4.020 and L = 0.7360 mm in equation (2.4), then the value of L is 28.83 mm. Therefore, the side of the square patch is 28.83 mm. Step 5: Slots: Three square slots i.e center slot, an upper and lower slot, are made along the diagonal of the square patch. These three slots are coupled through a diagonal slot line. The slots are selected such that, the centre slot is bigger than the upper and lower slots. The upper and lower slots are symmetrically equal in size. The size of center slot is 7 mm 7 mm and the upper & lower slots are 5 mm 5 mm and the diagonal slot line is selected as 21 mm 2 mm. Step 6: Feed Line: The square patch MSA is directly connected with a 50 Ohm microstrip feed line. The width and length of 50 Ohm impedance line is calculated by using general strip-line equations. The 50 Ohms line width is 3 mm, and its length is 16 mm.

II. ANTENNA DESIGN The single layer structure of Square patch microstrip antenna with slotted squares along the diagonal and slotted line with a centerfed microstrip line is shown in Fig.1.The following steps are taken in the design consideration [1] & [3]. Step1: Substrate selection: Fr4 glass epoxy substrate material has been selected. The dielectric constant ( r) of substrate material is 4.4 and thickness of the substrate (h) is 1.6 mm. Step2: Frequency of operation (f0): The resonant frequency of the antenna must be selected appropriately. The wireless Communication Systems uses the frequency 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz. Hence, the designed antenna must operate in the frequency range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz. The resonant frequency selected for this design is 2.45 GHz. Step3: Calculation of Effective dielectric constant ( reff): The following equation gives the effective dielectric constant:  Where W, is width of patch antenna. The square patch antenna is designed based on Transmission line model. Step 4: Calculation of the square resonator dimensions (W=L) 

Ground plane dimensions of 50 mm 40 mm are used. The geometry of the designed antenna is shown in Fig. 2. The entire structure of the antenna is made on a Fr4 epoxy substrate material with a finite ground plane.

total field directivity and total gain plots are given in Figures 3(h) and 3(i) respectively. The gain, directivity and antenna efficiency at 2.45 GHz frequency are 4.3658 dBi, 4.3658 dBi and 99.9968% respectively are obtained. The designed antenna has linearly polarized radiation due to a single layer structure with center fed microstrip feed. The antenna also has circular polarization (partially) due to square slots and diagonal slot line. A minimal axial ratio of 0.20 dB can be noted from this design in the frequency range from 2.0 GHz to 2.6 GHz and is shown is Figure 3(j).

Fig. 2 Geometry of the square patch with square slots and finite ground.

III. SIMULATION RESULTS With the help of IE3D [7] (Electromagnetic simulation software) the antenna structure (Antenna Design-1) described above is simulated with optimized. The optimized length of square patch antenna is 26 mm and with this optimized value satisfied results are obtained. Its various characteristics viz, return loss, VSWR, and radiation patterns (elevation & azimuth), are obtained at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. The resulting plots are shown in Figures 3(a) to 3(j). The return loss of proposed antenna structure is plotted as a function of frequency in Figure 3(a). It is observed from return loss plot that the return loss at 2.45 GHz is  44.94 dB. The impedance bandwidth is defined as the range of frequencies over which the return loss is better than -10 dB and the VSWR less than two. The maximum bandwidth of this design is 15.46%. From Figure 3(b) it can be noted that the value of VSWR at 2.45 GHz is 1.011. The designed antenna has maximum radiation normal to the patch geometry (broadside direction).The radiation plots in elevation plane (Cartesian) at J = 0o and 90o are shown in Figures 3(c), 3(d) & 3(e) respectively. The corresponding power gains are 4.36 dBi & 3.599 dBi respectively. Bidirectional radiation can be observed from both the plots. This is due to slotted squares and slotted diagonal line. The half power beam width is obtained at (77.41o, 105.50o). The Azimuth plane pattern Gains (in Cartesian and polar) at U = 0o and U = 90o are shown in Figures 3(f) and 3(g) respectively. The total field gain is 3.56 dBi, which is constant in the range from -90o to 90o. The

Fig. 3(a) Return loss plot

Fig. 3(b) VSWR plot

Fig. 3(c) Elevation pattern (Cartesian)

Fig. 3(e) Elevation pattern at phi =90

Fig. 3(d) Elevation pattern (polar) at phi=0

Fig. 3(f) Azimuth pattern Gain (Cartesian)

Fig. 3(g) Azimuth Pattern Gain (Polar)

Fig. 3(i) Total Gain plot

Fig. 3(j) Axial Ratio Fig. 3(h) Total field Directivity

IV. ANALYSIS OF RESULTS The single layer structure of slotted square patch microstrip antenna for three different designs of antennas with different dimensions of square slots, diagonal slot with a finite ground plane are simulated and the following investigations are made. ANTENNA DESIGN- 1: A square patch of 26 mm 26 mm, having three slotted squares of 7 mm 7 mm, 5 mm 5 mm and 5mmx5mm, with a diagonal slot of 21 mm 2 mm, the better return losses -44.97dB are obtained at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. In this case 50 mm 40 mm size of ground plane is used. A suitable microstrip feed is directly connected to couple the signal to resonate this antenna. The resonant frequency of this antenna is 2.45 GHz. A band width of 379 MHz is obtained and resultant total field gain is 4.3658 dBi at 2.45 GHz frequency. ANTENNA DESIGN- 2: In the case of antenna design-2, the square patch dimensions are same as that of antenna-1. Only the dimensions of the square slots are changed to operate at a frequency 2.45 GHz. The square slots are selected as 7 mm 7 mm, 4 mm 4 mm, 4 mm 4 mm along the diagonal and coupled through a 21 mm 1 mm slotted line. A ground plane of 55 mm 40 mm size is considered. With a proper microstrip feed line the antenna is resonated at 2.45 GHz. The simulation results for this design indicate the return loss of -29.71 dB at 2.45 GHz (same as antenna 1 operating frequency) and a band width of 98.1 GHz is obtained. Antenna 2 gives low bandwidth, when compared to that of antenna design-1 and the gain of antenna design-2 is also less i.e., 3.1951dBi. ANTENNA DESIGN- 3: For antenna design-3, a square patch of 27 mm 27 mm, a center square slot of 6 mm 6 mm, and upper and lower square slots of 5 mm 5 mm are considered with a 21 mm 2mm diagonal slotted line. A ground plane of 50 mm 40 mm size is used in this design. With a center fed microstrip feed line, the antenna design-3 is made to resonate at a frequency 2.35 GHz. The resonant frequency of this design is different compared to design-1 and design-2. The return losses at 2.35 GHz frequency is -13.41dB. The bandwidth is obtained as 168 MHz and the gain of this antenna is 2.531dBi. A comparison of three antenna designs with varying slot dimensions, diagonal slotted line and finite ground in a single layer configuration indicating variations in the parameters are shown in Table 1. When compared to all three antenna designs, the antenna design-1 is better in all aspects compared to the remaining two antenna designs i.e it is providing low return loss, reasonable bandwidth and suitable gain. In addition to return

loss, bandwidth and gain, many other parameters are also compared and are shown in Table 2. V. CONCLUSIONS Square patch microstrip antenna having diagonal slotted squares in a single layer configuration has been designed with a finite ground and simulated with IE3D software. It is compared with two other designs for different dimensions of square slots, diagonal slot, and dimensions of the ground plane. For this antenna gain is 4.36 dBi and a band width enhancement of 15.46% has been achieved. In addition to linear polarization the proposed antenna exhibits circular polarization. REFERENCES
[1]. C.A. Balanis, Antenna theory analysis and design, 2nd Edition [2]. Ramesh Garg, Prakash Bhatia, InderBahl and Apisak Ittipiboon, Microstrip Antenna design Handbook Artech House.2001 [3]. Dr. Max Amman, Design of Rectangular Microstrip patch antennas for the 2.4 GHz band, Applied Microwave & wireless, pages 24-34 [4]. Girish Kumar and K.P.Ray Broadband Microstrip Antennas Artech House, Antennas and Propagation Library, 2003 Edition [5]. M. M. Sharma, Swat Gupta, Deepak Bhatnagar, and R. P. Yadav, Compact Slotted Broadband Antenna for Wireless Applications world Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 41, 2008, PP No. 309 312. [6]. Sandeep Sainkar, Amutha Jeyakumar, Desing Analysis of Broadband Circularly Polarised Compact Microstrip Antenna for Wireless Applications IJECT Vol. 2, Issue 2, June 2011. [7]. IE3D Simulation Software Version 14.0