Design of a Triple Band Micro-strip Patch

Antenna for Cellular and Wi-Fi Application at

0.97 GHz, 1.35 GHz and 3.54GHz
Md. Faisal Hossain1, B.K.M. Mizanur Rahman2, Md.Abdul Matin3
1,2
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,United International University,Bangladesh.
3
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,Bangladesh University of Engineering and
Technology,Bangladesh.

1
[email protected]
2
[email protected]
3
[email protected]

Abstract—This paper presents a design and simulation of a triple band micro-strip patch antenna for cellular and
Wi-Fi application. This will work on the frequency 0.97 GHz, 1.35 GHz and 3.54GHz. The simulation shows
comparative differences between different feeding methods. Such a micro-strip antenna can be used commercially for
its low cost and ease of installation. As micro-strip antennas have several advantages compared to conventional
microwave antennas, these can be used to replace the antenna currently onboard the platforms. The micro-strip
antenna can also be made low profiled and conformal to fit on each individual platform, hence reducing or even
eliminating antenna visual and radar signatures and increasing platform survivability significantly. However, the
main disadvantage of the micro-strip antennas is the narrow bandwidth. We have used Ansoft HFSS software to
design and analysis.

I. INTRODUCTION

Antennas are a very important component of communication systems. By definition, an antenna is a device
used to transform an RF signal, traveling on a conductor, into an electromagnetic wave in free space. Antennas
demonstrate a property known as reciprocity, which means that an antenna will maintain the same
characteristics regardless if it is transmitting or receiving. Most antennas are resonant devices, which
operate efficiently over a relatively narrow frequency band. An antenna must be tuned to the same
frequency band of the radio system to which it is connected, otherwise the reception and the transmission
will be impaired. When a signal is fed into an antenna, the antenna will emit radiation distributed in
space in a certain way. A graphical representation of the relative distribution of the radiated power in space
is called a radiation pattern. This micro-strip antenna consists of a radiating patch on the dielectric substrate.
There are various shapes that can be used as the radiating patch. This micro-strip antenna is simulated, using
Ansoft HFSS.
 II. THEORETICAL STUDY

Effective length (Leff)

Because of the fringing effects, electrically the patch of the micro-strip antenna looks greater than its physical
dimensions. For the principal E-plane (xy-plane), this is demonstrated in Figure 1 where the dimensions of the

Figure 1: Physical and Effective lengths of micro-strip antenna.

patch along its length have been extended on each end by a distance ∆L,

which is a function of the effective dielectric constant ε reff and the width-to-height ratio (W/h). A very popular
and practical approximate relation for the normalized extension of the length is [1]

∆L
=0.412
(
W
( ϵ reff +0.3 ) h + 0.264 )
−0.258 ) ( +0.8 )
h W
( ϵ reff h

Since the length of the patch has been extended by ∆L on each side, the effective length of the patch is now (L =
λ/2 for dominant TM010 mode with no fringing)
 Leff =L+ 2 ∆ L

VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio)

VSWR is defined in terms of the input reflection coefficient  as [2]

1+│ Γ │
VSWR=
1−│ Γ │

The  is the reflection coefficient at the feed point of the antenna it is defined in terms of input impedance Z in
and the characteristics impedance Zc of the feed line as given below [2]

Z ¿−Z c
Γ=
Z ¿+ Z c

Usually the bandwidth is the frequency range over which VSWR is less then 2, which corresponds to a return
loss of 9.5 db or 11%reflected power. The BW of a single-patch antenna increases with an increase in the
substrate thickness and a decrease in the Ɛ r of the substrate [3,4,5]. The BW is approximately 15% for Ɛ r = 2.2
and h = 0.1λ0. The Ɛr can be chosen close to 1 to obtain a broader BW. With an increase in W also increases BW.
The expressions for approximately calculating the percentage BW of the RMSA in terms of patch dimensions
and substrate parameters is given by [6], increase in h will results in greater surface waves, spurious radiation
and reduced directivity.

% BW =
Ah W
λ 0 √ϵ r L√
Where

h
A= 180 for ≤ 0.045
λ0 √ ϵ r

h
A= 200 for 0.045 ≤ ≤ 0.075
λ 0 √ ϵr

h
A= 220 for ≥ 0.075
λ0 √ ϵ r

The radiation efficiency of an antenna is defined as the total power radiated over the net input power of the
antenna. It is expressed in terms as
 Q Prad
% η= =
Q r P¿

III. DESIGN & SIMULATION

The concept of composing components of this triple band antenna is illustrated by before discussion. First, two
L-shaped stepped impedance components are designed to operate at 900/1800 MHz bands. Thereafter, a third
resonant element is added for operation at the third band of 3500MHz. RT/Duroid dielectric substrate with 2.2
dielectric constant and thickness, h = 1.57mm is used to demonstrate the design concept.We choose width of
middle arm antenna and left arm antenna is equal to 10mm to provide a suitable radiation aperture at the
900/1800MHz bands. The length of most right antenna is equal to 32mm and length of bottom arm is equal to
25 mm. To demonstrate the antenna performance, simulation results of the input return loss (S11), using a full
electromagnetic (EM) simulator, are given in result chapter. For good matching, a probe feed of radius 0.5mm
is located that are shown in the figure 4 (3D view).

Figure 2: Top view of the triple band antenna

designed on RT/Duroid and thickness 1.57 mm.

Figure 3: Top view of the triple band antenna designed on RT/Duroid and thickness 1.57 mm on Ansoft HFSS.
 Figure 4: Top 3D view of the triple band antenna designed on RT/Duroid and thickness 1.57 mm with air box
for run simulation.

This antenna is designed on Ansoft HFSS and

the measurements of all arms are mentioned. Here
for simulation one top box is used. This top box is
used for measuring radiation intensity. At the
bottom arm here probe feed are used. Radius of
the coaxial pin is 0.5 mm that is wave port and
radius of outer shell of coaxial cable is 1.5 mm.
This S parameter shows that the signal we feed at the input terminal scattered at 0.97 GHz with power -12.6899
dB, 1.35 GHz with power -12.5051 dB and 3.54 GHz with power -25.8727 dB consequently (In above figure
from left to right). For improve the power, probe feed can be compensated.

Figure 5: Probe Feed Radiation Pattern (Angular Form).

The radian pattern shows the signals directivity and

power associated. At 0 0 the radiation intensity is
maximum.
VSWR simulation shows the reflection coefficient related with VSWR.

IV. CONCULSION

The construction of the micro-strip patch antenna was simple in terms of paper and pencil. However, fabrication
in Ansoft HFSS was far more difficult than anticipated before we started the thesis on Ansoft designer. The
resulted measured data supports our expected result. We successfully got the frequency response at 0.97 GHz,
1.35GHz and 3.54 GHz with sufficient power. The design of micro-strip antenna on Ansoft HFSS is an iteration
process rather than paper work. The antenna does not strictly follow the formula or mathematical parametric
analysis that has mentioned previous chapters. Therefore the best way that we have used is trial and error base
work on Ansoft HFSS.

V. FUTURE WORK

Our goal was to design a triple band micro-strip patch antenna for cellular and Wi-Fi application and we achieve
that very well for cellular application. But for Wi-Fi application it can be used because Wi-Fi range is 2.4 GHz
to 5GHz. So future work can be increased this 3.54 GHz band to 5 GHz with sufficient power obviously. Also
future work can be extending triple band antenna to four band antenna that is multiband antenna.

REFERENCES
rd
[1] C.A. Balanis, Antenna Theory(Analysis And Design), 3 edition, John Wiley & Sons, UK, Reprint-2010, pp. 816-817,818, 819.

[2] Pozar, D. M., and D. H. Schaubert, Microstrip Antennas: The Analysis and Design of Microstrip Antennas and Arrays, New York: IEEE
Press, 1995.

[3] James, J. R., and P. S. Hall, Handbook of Microstrip Antennas, Vol. 1, London: Peter Peregrinus Ltd., 1989.

[4] Derneryd, A. G. and A. G. Lind, ‘‘Extended Analysis of Rectangular Microstrip Resonator Antennas,’’ IEEE Trans. Antennas
Propagation, Vol. AP–27, November 1979, pp. 846–849.

[5] James, J. R., P. S. Hall, and C. Wood, Microstrip Antenna Theory and Design, London: Peter Peregrinus, 1981.

[6] Girish Kumar, K. P. Ray, “ Broadband Microstrip Antenna,” Artech House, Boston, London,2003, pp. 38.