Microstrip Patch Antenna

HFSSv10 (download simulation file)

The microstrip patch antenna is a popular printed resonant antenna for narrow-band microwave wireless li
require semi-hemispherical coverage. Due to its planar configuration and ease of integration with microstr
technology, the microstrip patch antenna has been heavily studied and is often used as elements for an ar
tutorial, a 2.4 GHz microstrip patch antenna fed by a microstrip line on a 2.2 permittivity substrate is stud
following topics are covered:

 Model Setup
 Waveport Feed
 Airbox and Boundary Conditions
 Meshing
 Analysis/Sweep Setup
 Plotting Results

*Experimental Results and Photos of the Fabricated Antenna are here.

Model Setup

First the model of the microstrip patch antenna has to be drawn in HFSS. It consists of rectangular substra
metal trace layer as shown in Fig. 1. Note that a quarter-wave length transformer was used to match the p
50 Ohm feed line. The dimensions of antenna can be found in the HFSS simulation file.

Figure 1. Patch antenna layout showing substrate and patch trace.

Waveport Setup

In order to excite the structure an excitation source has to be chosen. For this simulation a waveport will b
waveport will excite the first mode of the microstrip line (quasi-TEM) and then HFSS will use this field to e
entire structure. In order to get an accurate result, the waveport has to be defined properly; if it is too sm
will be truncated (characteristic impedance will be incorrectly calculated) and if it is too large a waveguide
appear. Please refer to the tutorial on defining a waveport for further information. Since the substrate heig
mm and the feed line width is 4.84 mm, the waveport size chosen is 5 mm high by 50 mm wide. After the
rectangle is drawn, the WAVEPORT excitation was assigned to it. In the Analysis section of this tutorial, it
shown that this waveport size accurately models the desired microstrip mode.

Airbox and Boundary Conditions

An airbox has to be defined in to model open space so that the radiation from the structure is absorbed an
reflected back. The airbox should be a quarter-wavelength long of the frequency of interest in the direction
radiated field. In the directions where the radiation is minimal, this quarter-wavelength condition does not
met and an air “space” may not even have to be defined. Since the radiation of a patch antenna is concen
broadside, a rectangular box enclosing the structure is only needed; the height of the airbox is 31.25 mm
wave at 2.4 GHz). The antenna with airbox and waveport setup is shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 2. Patch antenna layout showing airbox and waveport.

Next, the 4 side faces and the top face of the airbox were selected (Press F to select faces and O to select
and RADIATION boundary was applied. Then the bottom face and the patch antenna trace were selected a
CONDUCTIVITY boundary using Copper was assigned.

Meshing

Manually meshing should be performed on the airbox to get accurate results for the antenna properties su
efficiency, directivity, and radiation pattern. One should seed the airbox lambda/10. For this structure the
length for the airbox was set to 12.5 mm (lambda/10 at 2.4 GHz). Fig. 3 shows the mesh property window
 Figure 3. Mesh setup window.

Analysis/Sweep Setup

A Solution Setup is added to the analysis of the simulation with the following:

Solution Frequency: 2.4 GHz

Maximum # of Passes: 15
Maximum Delta S: 0.02

In addition, in the Options tab of the Solution Setup, the Minimum Converged Passes was changed to 3. S
Sweep from 1 GHz to 5 GHz (401 points) will be chosen, the solution frequency should line within the freq
sweep range and around the passband (i.e, around 2.4 GHz). In addition, the field data is saved for each f
point in the sweep; field data needs to be saved in order to do any field post-processing.

Before running the simulation, an additional Solution Setup was added with Solve Ports Only to verify the
setup. This Port Only Setup was run and the resulting port mode is shown in Fig. 4; a characteristic imped
Ohms was obtained.
 Figure 4. Port mode showing electric-field.

Plotting Results

The resulting return loss of the structure is shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 5. Return loss of antenna from 1 GHz to 5 GHz.

From Fig. 5, the fundamental resonance of the antenna occurs at 2.36 GHz with a return loss of -29.43 dB
top face of the substrate was selected and the Electric Field Vector was plotted for 2.36 GHz. The field plot
Fig. 6 and shows the expected half-wavelength field distribution.
 Figure 6. E-field distribution on antenna at 2.36 GHz.

To plot the far-field patterns of the antenna, a far-field setup has to be created. Two will created; one for t
H-Plane two-dimensional patterns and another for the three-dimensional pattern. To create each far-field
to HFSS>Radiation>Insert Far-Field Setup>Infinite Sphere. For the two-dimensional pattern, the default v
to be changed; Phi should start at 0 deg and stop at 90 deg with a 90 deg step size. For the three-dimens
pattern, the default values can be used. Fig. 7 shows the two-dimensional patterns and Fig. 8 shows the th
dimensional patterns. To obtain the radiation efficiency, peak gain, etc. go to HFSS>Radiation>Compute A
Param and choose 2.36 GHz as the frequency of interest.

Figure 7. E-plane (blue) and H-plane (red) far-field patterns.

 Figure 8. Three-dimensional far-field patterns.

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Microstrip Patch Antenna

From Simulation to Realization

In the Ansoft HFSS Tutorial 1, a microstrip patch antenna was simulated and the numerical return loss and radiation pa
shown. The purpose of this tutorial is to further discuss the microstrip patch antenna and to present the experimental
particular, the dimensions of the patch are given along with the feed network. Discussion of the dimensions and how
obtained are presented. The fabricated microstrip patch antenna is also shown. The experimental return loss and the ex
and H-plane radiation patterns are compared with the Ansoft HFSS results. In addition, a three-dimensional radiation p
fabricated antenna is also shown. The purpose of this tutorial is to show readers a comparison of numerical and experim

Figure 1. Model of microstrip patch antenna; edge-fed with quarter wavelength transformer section to 50 Ω transmis

Microstrip Patch Model

The microstrip patch antenna model used for the numerical simulation in Ansoft HFSS is shown in Fig. 1. The patch a
designed for 2.4 GHz operation on a substrate with 2.2 permittivity and 1.57 mm thickness. To determine the width
microstrip patch antenna calculator was used to provide an initial starting point. The length (L) was chosen to be the s
obtain a symmetric radiation pattern. The patch without the feeding network was simulated in Ansoft HFSS to adjust W
at 2.4 GHz. Next, the input impedance of the patch at the edge was determined by placing a length of 50 Ω transmissio
edge. By de-embedding the 50 Ω transmission line, the edge input impedance was determined to be 343 Ω. Therefore, a
length transformer was used to match 343 Ω input impedance to a 50 Ω system. The final dimensions of the entire micr
antenna are

 W: 41.08 mm
 L: 41.08 mm
 lqw: 24.05 mm
 wqw: 0.72 mm
 l50: 15.00 mm
 w50: 4.84 mm

Realization

After the HFSS simulation confirmed a resonance of 2.37 GHz with a return loss less than -10 dB, the microstrip patch
realized by photolithography. Fig. 2. shows the realized microstrip patch antenna with a 3.5 mm SMA female connector c
the HFSS model. The comparison of the numerical and experimental return loss is shown in Fig. 3. Good agreement c
between HFSS and the measured results.

Figure 2. Micrstrip patch antenna: Model versus Reality.

 Figure 3. Return loss of the microstrip patch antenna.

Radiation Pattern

The fabricated antenna was then placed inside an antenna chamber. Fig. 4 shows the antenna mounted onto a rotatio
waveguide probe was used to measure the near-field of the microstrip patch antenna and post-processing was perform
the far-field radiation patterns.

Figure 4. Fabricated microstrip patch antenna ready for near-field sampling.

The numerical and experimental E- and H-Plane radiation patterns are shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, respectively. Good agre
seen, discrepency on the backside is due to the metallic mounting structure of the antenna chamber's rotational stage.
the experimental 3-D radiation pattern of the microstrip patch antenna.

Figure 5. E-Plane radiation pattern.

Figure 6. H-Plane radiation pattern.

 Figure 7. 3-D radiation pattern.

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