03-11-2016, 10:48 AM
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Abstract A Microstrip antenna with an ice cream bar shaped patch is designed at a frequency of 2.4GHz. This antenna is designed using an FR4 epoxy substrate material (Ɛr = 4.4) is simulated for different slot positions on the substrate using HFSS software and achieved a return loss of 30.7 dB. These antennas will find vast applications in Wireless LAN’s and Wi-Fi.
Keywords-Microstrip patch antenna, HFSS software, WLAN
I. INTRODUCTION
Introduction
A Microstrip patch antenna is a narrowband, wide‐beam antenna fabricated by etching the antenna element pattern in metal trace bonded to an insulating dielectric substrate, such as a printed circuit board, with a continuous metal layer bonded to the opposite side of the substrate which forms a ground plane. Low dielectric constant substrates are generally preferred for maximum radiation. The conducting patch can take any shape but rectangular and circular configurations are the most commonly used configurations. Other configurations are complex to analyze and require heavy numerical computations. A Microstrip antenna is characterized by its Length, Width, Input impedance, polarization, and Gain and radiation patterns.
Microstrip patch antennas are increasing in popularity for use in wireless applications due to their low profile structure. Therefore they are extremely compatible for embedded antennas in handheld wireless devices such as cellular phones. The telemetry and communication antennas on missiles need to be thin and conformal and are often in the form of Microstrip patch antennas. Another area where they have been used successfully is in Satellite communication. Some of the major advantages are
Light weight and low volume.
Low profile planar configuration which can be easily made conformal to host surface.
Low fabrication cost.
Supports both linear as well as circular polarization.
Mechanically robust.
III. SOFTWARE USED
HFSS is a commercial finite element method solver for electromagnetic structures from Ansys .The acronym originally stood for high frequency structural simulator .It is one of several commercial tools used for antenna design , and the design of complex RF electronic circuit elements including filters, transmission lines and packaging. HFSS is a high performance full wave electromagnetic (EM) field simulator for arbitrary 3D volumetric passive device modeling that takes advantage of the familiar Microsoft Windows graphical user interface. It integrates simulation, visualization, solid modeling, and automation in an easy to learn environment where solutions to your 3D EM problems are quickly and accurate obtained. Ansoft HFSS employs the Finite Element Method (FEM), adaptive meshing, and brilliant graphics to give you unparalleled performance and insight to all of your 3D EM problems. Ansoft HFSS can be used to calculate parameters such as S-Parameters, Resonant Frequency, and Fields. Typical uses include:
IV. ANTENNA DESIGN
The ice bar shaped patch antenna design requires three elements ground, substrate and patch. In this design FR4 epoxy material has been used for substrate having 4.4 as its dielectric constant value. The substrate is having the dimensions of 36.6mm x 65.1mm x 1.6 mm. The ice bar shaped patch is placed on the substrate with proper geometry. The design of this Microstrip antenna can be seen from figure 1 below. This design is simulated using HFSS at 2.4 GHz frequency for return loss and radiation pattern. The results can be observed from the following figures. From this design we achieved a return loss of 20.1 dB.
To further improve the return loss of antenna the above said design is modified by introducing a narrow rectangular slit on the patch antenna. The performance of the antenna can be assessed by placing the narrow rectangular slit at different locations on the patch. There is necessity in doing this change in geometry of the slot for improving the return loss. By placing the narrow rectangular slit at two different positions (top & bottom) and fed with a coaxial cable. By simulating this design with HFSS we achieved a return loss of 12.2 dB & 30.7 Db.
VI. CONCLUSION
The ice bar shaped Microstrip patch antenna at 2.4 GHz is designed with and without narrow rectangular slit in HFSS software achieved a better return loss of 30.7 dB. This value achieved by placing narrow slit at the bottom of the patch. This type of antenna finds application in WIFI & Wireless LAN’s.