CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY
3.1 introduction
In this, project the software that is going, to be used known as CST software for
simulation of the antenna. This is a common software that uses antenna simulation because CST
STUDIO SUITE is a package of tools for designing, simulating, and optimizing electromagnetic
systems and is used by leading technology and engineering companies around the world. The
three pillars of CST products are accuracy, speed, and usability.
Antenna gain is the most crucial property of antenna elements because gain is the
antenna's ability to radiate more or less in any direction as compared to a theoretical antenna. If
you could make a perfect sphere out of an antenna, it would radiate evenly in all directions.
Theoretically, such an antenna known as an isotropic antenna, although it does not exist in
practice. Its mathematical model, on the other hand, utilized to compare the gain of a real
antenna. The maximum efficacy with which the antenna can radiate the power provided to it by
the transmitter towards a target is known as antenna gain.
The highest radiation intensity produced by the antenna when compared to that produced
by a lossless isotropic radiator supplied with the same level of power is known as antenna gain.
When an antenna's gain is 2/3 dB, it means that twice as much effective power is supplied in the
direction of a target as it would be from an isotropic radiator, thereby doubling the transmitter's
power in that direction.
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The problem of bandwidth limitation is also a concern with micro strip patch antennas,
which has an impact on wireless communication applications because bandwidth is another
important antenna characteristic. The range of frequencies over which the antenna can correctly
transmit or receive energy referred to as bandwidth. The intended bandwidth is frequently one of
the deciding factors when choosing an antenna. Many antenna types, for example, have
extremely narrow bandwidths and cannot be used for wideband operation. The range of
frequencies over which an antenna satisfies a particular parameter specification is referred to as
the antenna's bandwidth. Gain, radiation pattern, VSWR, and other characteristics are commonly
given.
2.2 design of micro strip patch antenna
Micro strip antennas are half-wavelength structures that operate in the fundamental resonant
mode TM01 or TM10, with a resonant frequency of F= C/2L (r)12, where C is the speed of light,
L is the patch length of the rectangular micro strip antenna, and r is the relative permittivity of
the grounded microwave substrate. The radiating patch has a resonant length of L 1/(r)12 at a
fixed operating frequency, and the use of a micro strip substrate with a high permittivity can
result in a short physical antenna length. The impedance bandwidth of a micro strip antenna is
frequently reduced when its size is reduced at a particular operating frequency. To compensate
for the decreased electrical thickness owing to the lower operating frequency, just increase the
substrate thickness. However, when the antenna's height grows, losses due to the surface wave
effect and extraneous radiation cause poor performance characteristics. Substrates with a r of 10
are usually recommended. The fringing fields that account for radiation will be augmented by a
substrate with a low dielectric constant. However, substrates with a high r are necessary to obtain
smaller patch sizes.
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A thicker substrate will increase radiated power, lower conductor loss, and improve impedance
bandwidth, in addition to being mechanically stronger. However, the weight, dielectric loss, and
surface wave loss of the antenna all rise.(Bisht et al., 2014)
2.3 design parameters for patch antenna
The three most significant elements to consider while designing a microstrip patch antenna are
listed below.
Frequency of operation (f0): The antenna was designed to operate within the frequencies of 2.4
GHz, as the default resonant frequency for this study.
Dielectric constant of the substrate er: One of the most critical parameters in the microstrip
antenna and substrate is the dielectric constant. FR4 is one of the most commonly used materials,
but it only supports frequencies between 2-4 GHz. At microwave frequencies, the FR4 PCB is
likewise incapable of absorbing significant power. The permittivity of this object is 4.5 .
Height of dielectric substrate (h) Antennas for cellphones are planned to be light and tiny,
limiting their height. Hence the height of dielectric substrate is 1.6 mm. The values of antenna
dimensions can be easily found by substituting c = 3108m/s, er = 2.2, and f0 = 2.4GHz. The
following equations are used in order to design patch antennas (Khaleel, 2019).
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Table 3.1: Antenna parameters
Dielectric Constant, ε r Center Frequency, fc Dielectric Thickness, h
4.5 2.4 GHz 1.6 mm
The parameters for rectangular micro strip antenna as shown in Table 3.1 will be used to
calculate the dimension of the design antenna. For an efficient radiator, a practical width that
leads to good condition efficiency is
W=
v
√ 2
2 f c ε r +1
Where v is the speed of light in free space
If W/h>1, effective dielectric constant,
ε reff is:
ε r +1 ε r −1
[ ]
1
h −
ε reff = + 1+12 2
2 2 w
The extension length:
ΔL=0 . 412
( ε reff + 0. 3 ) ( w
h )
+0 .264
−0 .258 ) ( +0 . 8 )
w
( ε reff h
The length of microstrip antenna
L=Leff −2 ΔL
For rectangular microstrip patch antenna, only one value must be chosen, so the value from
length (L) will be chose because it has a small size compared to width (W) size. The small size
was chosen because it can save the cost of fabrication.
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The length of narrow slot
0.32L
Where L= length or of microstrip antenna
The width of narrow slot
1 mm
Where width, w = (1>>w)
The transmission line model is applicable to infinite ground only. However, for practical
considerations, it is essential to have a finite ground plane. The ground plane Lg square patch is
defined by
λD
Lg = +L
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Where,
λo
λD=
√ε reff
c
λ o=
fc
After selecting the patch dimension L for a given substrate, the next task is determine the
feed point (xo,yo) so as to obtain a good impedance of the patch element. For this rectangular
patch, the feed point is located along the diagonal of the square patch. Hence, a trial and error
method is used to locate the feed point. For different locations of the feed point, the return loss
(RL) is compared and that feed point is selected where the RL is most negative.
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Table 3.2: Calculated parameters dimension for square microstrip patch antenna
Substrate material FR4 (εr = 4.5)
Center Frequency 2.4 GHz
Width (mm) 37.69
Length (mm) 29.118
Effective Dielectric Constant, εreff 4.174
Extended Length, ∆ L (mm) 0.737
Effective Length, Leff (mm) 30.59
Length of narrow slot (mm) 9.318
Width of narrow slot (mm) 1.0
Size of ground plane (mm) 44.413
2.4 Basic Rectangular Micro strip Patch Antenna Design
The first is a standard rectangular micro strip patch antenna, whereas the second is a
microstrip patch antenna with an air gap. Before beginning to construct the antenna, it is
necessary to understand the antenna specifications. The antenna's S11 must be less than-10 dB,
the voltage standing wave must be between 1 and 2, the input impedance must be 50 Ohms, and
the patch and ground plane must be made of copper with a thickness of 0.035 mm. Next, the
substrate must be chosen carefully because it has a significant impact on antenna performance.
Rogers RT5880 was chosen as the substrate for this project because it is less lossy than
the commonly used flame retardant 4 (FR-4) substrate.
Then, using the calculation values obtained from the Equations, a basic rectangular
microstrip patch antenna is created as illustrated in Figure 1. Lists the antenna's dimensions, and
the antenna was constructed using CST software to reach the 2.4 GHz frequency. The frequency
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was not obtained at 2.4 GHz, however, because the formulae did not account for any losses other
than those caused by the substrate material.
As a result, the basic antenna's dimensions have been tweaked until the operational
frequency is resonant at 2.4 GHz.
Figure 3.1 parameter of patch antenna
2.5 Design of Rectangular Micro strip Patch Antenna added with an Air Gap Technique
The air gap technique is one of the approaches that have been utilized to boost the
antenna's gain. As shown in Figure 2, the air gap approach allows the thickness of the substrate
to be increased by inserting an air gap between the radiating element and the substrate or
between the ground plane and the substrate. Figure 3 depicts the structure of a rectangular micro
strip patch antenna with a 3 mm air gap, depicts the suggested design's optimization dimensions.
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Figure 3.2 Patch antenna with air gap
Figure 3.3 the structure of rectangular microstrip patch antenna added with 3 mm air gap
When the air gap is varied from 1 mm to 10 mm, the impacts of frequency and reflection
coefficient values are shown in Figure 4 The S11 values, as well as the gain, alter as the air gap
thickness changes from 1 mm to 10 mm. It can be seen that the frequency changes as the
thickness changes from 1 mm to 6 mm, and the gain increases as well. However, the frequency
was resonant at 2.42 GHz when the air gap thickness varied from 7 to 10 mm. Because the gain
is 9.18 dB and the S11 is-48.1 dB at the working frequency of 2.40 GHz, a 3 mm air gap
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thickness was chosen for the design. Finally, the dimension of basic rectangular microstrip patch
antenna added with 3 mm air gap has been shown in Figure 5.
Figure 3.4 the effects of various air gaps thickness from 1mm to 10mm
3.6 Fabrication
The Rogers RT 5880 board was used to create the final antenna designs. The fabrication of the
antennas is aided by a computer numerical control machine in order to reduce flaws in the
fabrication. Because the series of processes required to make any part is highly automated, the
resulting part is precisely matched to the original CAD. The board's PCB layout can be extracted
directly from the CST program and converted to a DXF file, which allows the design structure to
be examined in CAD software. The feed line and ground of the completed antenna are soldered
together to form an SMA port.
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There are many types of SMA connectors, all depending on the type of application required. For
this type of antenna, a female SMA port is used. It has a 50 ohm line impedance and a small
VSWR.(Kharusi et al., n.d.)
CST MICROWAVE STUDIO (CST MWS) is the result of many years of development and
research into the most efficient and accurate computational solutions for 3D electromagnetic
designs. CST MWS specializes in high-frequency electromagnetic modeling in 3D. A virtual
prototype precedes real trials, and optimization takes the place of experimentation, resulting in
quicker development cycles for users.
CST MICROWAVE STUDIO connects MATLAB to the VBA macro language of CST MWS.
Users of CST MWS can use this interface to access MATLAB's broad data manipulation, signal
processing, and graphical capabilities. Data transfer and tight integration between the two
programs are made possible via COM and ActiveX interfaces. Other members of the CST
STUDIO product line can benefit from the method presented here.
CST MWS is part of the CST suite, which includes CST DESIGN ENVIRONMENT, CST
DESIGN STUDIO, CST EM STUDIO, and CST PARTICLE STUDIO, among others.
The CST Studio Suite is a high-performance 3D electromagnetic (EM) analysis software suite
for developing, evaluating, and optimizing EM components and systems.
The CST Studio Suite contains electromagnetic field solutions for applications across the EM
spectrum in a single user interface. Engineers can use the solvers together to perform hybrid
simulations, providing them with the ability to quickly and easily examine complete systems
made up of numerous components. Co-design with other SIMULIA solutions integrates EM
simulation into the design flow and drives the development process from the beginning.
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The performance and efficiency of antennas and filters, electromagnetic compatibility and
interference (EMC/EMI), human exposure to EM fields, electro-mechanical effects in motors
and generators, and thermal effects in high-power devices are all common issues of EM study.
The CST Studio Suite is used by some of the world's most prestigious technology and
engineering firms. It has significant product-to-market advantages, allowing for faster
development cycles and lower costs. Thanks to simulation, virtual prototyping is possible. Early
in the design phase, any compliance issues can be detected and handled, the number of physical
prototypes required can be decreased, and the risk of test failures and recalls can be reduced.
References
Bisht, S., Saini, S., Prakash, V., & Nautiyal, B. (2014). Study The Various Feeding Techniques of
Microstrip Antenna Using Design and Simulation Using CST Microwave Studio. International
Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering, 4(9), 318–324.
Khaleel, A. D. (2019). Design and Simulation Microstrip patch Antenna using CST Microwave
Studio. Lecture Notes - Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 1(May), 2–57.
[Link]
_Antenna_using_CST_Microwave_Studio
Kharusi, K. W. S. Al, Ramli, N., Khan, S., Ali, M. T., Halim, M. H. A., Damansara, K., &
Damansara, K. (n.d.). In Press , Accepted Manuscript – Note to user Gain Enhancement of
Rectangular Microstrip Patch Antenna using Air In Press , Accepted Manuscript – Note to user.
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