World Applied Programming, Vol (3), Issue (6), June 2013.

205-211
ISSN: 2222-2510
2013 WAP journal. www.tijournals.com

Radial Line Slots Array Antenna (RLSA) Performance

based on Different Dielectric Constants @ 12.5GHz
S.Z Iliya

T.A. Rahman

O. Elijah

Wireless Communication Centre,

Faculty of Electrical Engineering,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM),
81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
solozakwoi@gmail.com

Wireless Communication Centre,

Faculty of Electrical Engineering,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM),
81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
tharek@fke.my

Wireless Communication Centre,

Faculty of Electrical Engineering,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM),
81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
elij_olak@yahoo.com

Abstract: This paper suggests the importance of dielectrics materials in the optimization of RLSA antennas.
Simulations of Ku band (11-14) GHz 20 degree beam squinted RLSA designs on CST 2010 using different
dielectric constants between r= 1.4 and r = 3.0 is done in this submission. Simulation results showed that
dielectric constants have great effect in the design and overall radiation performance of the RLSA antennas. At
12.5GHz resonant frequency, higher dielectric constant records a drop in both efficiency and directivity of the
RLSA antennas.
Keywords: RLSA, Squint angle, Dielectric constant, Antenna performance, ku band, transient analysis
I.

INTRODUCTION

Dielectric materials are widely used in the design of radial line slot array antennas (RLSA). Their primary effect is to
reduce the risk of grating lobes formation [1] in the design which affects the overall performance of the antenna. They
provide a measure of their effect on a capacitor and relates to the permittivity of the material. Permittivity is a quantity
that describes the effect of a material on an electric field: the higher the permittivity, the more the materials ability to
reduce any field set up in it [2]. RLSA antennas are forms of planar antenna [3] their feed probe interfaces between the
coaxial feed line and the radial guide forming the body of the RLSA antenna. The feed converts power from TEM
transmission line mode into a TEM cavity mode, travelling outward within the slow wave structure (dielectric material)
whilst causing minimal reflection back into the coaxial transmission line. Fig 1 is a typical schematic of the RLSA radial
cavity feed containing dielectric material.

Figure 1. Structure layout of RLSA cavity feed [4]

II.

SLOTS ARRANGEMENT ON UPPER PLATE

Slots arrangements on the upper plate (radiating surface) are designed such that it couples much energy into the radiated
pencil beam as possible. Any energy not radiated by the slot surface is either absorbed by the guides wall or reflected
back to the feed. Energy lost at the walls either escapes through the open edges of the radial cavity or is dissipated in
absorbing material placed at the cavity edges. The slots intercepts current on the upper waveguide surface to produce
radiation of desired polarization, thus coupling from the cavity to the slots occurs via the magnetic field given by these
expressions [4]:

(2)

( ) H 1 (k )

H
H

(2)
1
(1)
1

(k

(k

max
max

(1)
1

(k )

(1)

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S. Z. Iliya, et al. World Applied Programming, Vol (3), No (6), June 2013.

Figure 2. Side and top view of a beam-tilted LP-RLSA [5].

Where:
k

(1)

( 2)

Is the wave number in the radial cavity; H ( ) is the Hankel function of the first kind order 1, H ( ) is
Hankel function of the second kind order 1, and is the complex reflection coefficient for the interface formed at the
g

cavity boundary, max this interface is left open. For stability it is assumed that the argument k is sufficiently larger
than 1 [4] this allows for simplifying assumptions of the Hankel function as:
(1)

( )

(2)

( )

j(

3
)
4

j(

3
)
4

(2)

Equation (1) can then be re written as:

2
k

( )

j ( k 3 4 )

2
k

j(k[ 2

max ] 3 4

(3)

The first term of equation (3) represents the primary outward travelling wave which is excited by the disc ended probe,
while the second term represents the secondary inner travelling wave which is considered as being produced by the

max . It is ensured that the cavity is well terminated with absorbing materials
reflections from the cavity boundary at
to reduce the reflection coefficient to a level considered negligible , for further simplification, it is assumed that the
reflection coefficient is significantly small ( 0 ) thus neglecting the second term we have the cavity wave
expression as:

( )

2
j ( k 3 )
4
k e

(4)

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Since the field has only

components [4], there only exist surface currents associated with the field as radial currents

proportional to H Software codes for the design implementation of RLSA antennas on CST 2010 is been written in
visual basic by [6]. High speed computers with recent specification: Intel i7, windows 7, 64 bits, 8 Gigabytes RAM
speed is utilized as platform for CST 2010. The code takes into account all the theoretical basis of the RLSA design
theories for the simulations of the antenna radiation performance at various frequencies of interest to the designer.
.

In these submission dielectric constants ( r ) within the range of values 1.4 r 3.0 are used as slow wave factors in
the design simulation of a 20 degree beam squinted RLSA antenna for direct broadcast service (DBS) applications at a
resonant frequency of 12.5GHz, this gives a comparative platform for the different dielectrics explored in this
submission. Effects on the performance of a 20degree beam squinted RLSA antenna is simulated using CST 2010s
transient solver and results itemized on table and graphs below. Interest is focused on directivity, efficiency and return
loss values recorded.

Table I. Varying dielectric constants of a 20 degree beam squinted LP-RLSA antenna design and related performance

Dielectric Constant ( r )

Directivity (dBi)

1.4

24.31

-0.2431

63.811

1.5

26.26

-0.2002

65.132

1.6

25.90

-0.2064

66.114

1.7

27.70

-0.1931

69.438

1.8

27.82

-0.2027

70.113

1.9

29.43

-0.2199

75.422

2.0

29.51

-0.2107

80.156

2.1

30.77

-0.2130

87.619

2.2

31.06

-0.2375

91.979

2.3

31.85

-0.2360

93.469

2.4

32.40

-0.2407

91.081

2.5

32.60

-0.2434

94.549

32.35

-0.2515

91.981

2.6

Radiation Efficiency (dB)

Total Efficiency (%)

2.7

29.55

-9.5990

10.967

2.8

30.74

-0.2740

91.482

2.9

29.83

-0.2831

91.112

3.0

28.85

-0.2962

89.953

From table I; worst antenna efficiency performance is recorded at dielectric constant value ( r ) = 2.7. This dielectric
value recorded a contrasting constant return loss performance of -200dB across the entire band of frequencies covered in
this study. Due to scaling it is not possible for this return loss value to be seen amongst others in fig 4. This probably
would have been the cause in the poor efficiency value recorded for this dielectric constant in this study.
Fig 3 shows S11 simulations for dielectrics constants () between 1.4 and 3.0 respectively@ 12.5GHz.

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S. Z. Iliya, et al. World Applied Programming, Vol (3), No (6), June 2013.

S11 (dB)

-10

-20

-30
f(GHz) vs
f(GHz) vs
f(GHz) vs
f(GHz) vs
f(GHz) vs
f(GHz) vs

-40

-50
11.5

12.0

er=1.4
er=1.6
er=1.8
er=2.5
er=2.9
er=3.0
12.5

13.0

13.5

Frequency (GHz)

Figure 3. S11 performance of some dielectric materials with constants values between (

) =1.4 and (

) =3.0.

As seen from fig 3.Best return loss performance for 12.5 GHz resonant frequency is recorded when a dielectric constant
value of 2.5 was used in the design simulations of a 20 degree beam squinted LP-RLSA antenna with an efficiency value
of 94.549%.
Fig 4 is the simulated S11 results for dielectric constants between ( r ) = 2.3 and ( r ) =2.8 @12.5GHz

S11 (dB)

-10

-20

-30

f(GHz)
f(GHz)
f(GHz)
f(GHz)
f(GHz)
f(GHz)

-40

-50
12.0

12.2

12.4

12.6

vs
vs
vs
vs
vs
vs

12.8

er=2.3
er=2.4
er=2.5
er=2.6
er=2.7
er=2.8

13.0

Frequency (GHz)

Figure 4. S11 dielectric performance @12.5GHz resonant frequency with dielectric constants between (
respectively.

) = 2.3 and (

) = 2.8

It is also clearly seen from fig 4 that optimal S11 performance for 12.5GHz resonant frequency is achieved when a
dielectric with constant value ( r ) =2.33, this gave an efficiency of 93.469%.
Figs 3 and 4 clearly shows poor return loss performance recorded at dielectrics with low constants values less than ( r )
= 2.0. This poor performance may not be associated with losses in dielectrics since lower dielectric constants generally
exhibit low associated losses [2], [7], [8]. At resonant frequency dielectric losses tend to be more [2].
Fig 5 shows the radiation performance in terms of gain (dB) in relation to the beam squinted angle of 20deg considered
in this submission when ( r ) =1.4, ( r ) =2.5, and ( r ) =3.0.

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30

Directivity (dBi)

20

10

-10

-20

-30
-100

-50

50

100

ThetaT (degree)
ThetaT vs gain (dielectric =1.4)
ThetaT vs gain (dielectric =2.5)
ThetaT vs gain (dielectric =3.0)

Figure 5. Simulated Directivity (dB) versus 20deg beam squint angle.

Fig 6 is the radiation performance @20deg beam squinted angle, with ( r ) = 2.3, ( r ) = 2.5 and ( r ) = 2.8.

Directivity (dBi)

20

-20

-40
-100

-50

50

100

ThetaT (degree)
ThetaT vs gain (dielectric =2.3)
ThetaT vs gain (dielectric =2.5)
ThetaT vs gain (dielectric =2.8)

Figure 6. Simulated Directivity (dB) @ 20deg beam squinted angle.

III.

SIMULATION, RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Figs 3 and 4 shows the return loss performance of some selected dielectric constants as seen from table I. with lower
dielectric constants at 20deg beam squint angle, deterioration in S11 is noticed. As the values of the dielectric constants
increases, an improvement in S11 is seen from the CST 2010 simulations. A gradual drop in performance @ dielectric
values of ( r ) =3.0 and higher dielectric values is observed. This signifies poor RLSA antenna performance at higher
constants values. This may be attributed to the high losses incurred with higher dielectric constants values at resonant
frequencies [2]. It is worth noting that at higher values of dielectric constants, it is possible to reduce the size of the
antenna as recorded by [9], this would assist immensely in reducing aperture blockage associated with parabolic reflector
antenna.
Fig 7 shows variation in antenna directivity with increasing value of dielectric constant ( r )

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S. Z. Iliya, et al. World Applied Programming, Vol (3), No (6), June 2013.

33
32
31

Directivity (dB)

30
29
28
27
26
25
24

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

epsr

Figure 7. Directivity versus dielectric constants

Fig 7 displays antenna performance in terms of directivity as values of dielectric constant is increased from ( r ) =1.4 to
( r ) =3.0. It is easily seen that directivity tend to drop as values of dielectric constants is raised higher, beyond ( r )
=3.0 for the Ku band frequency considered in this study.

Fig 8 shows the variation in efficiency as dielectric constants is increased

100
90
80

efficiency (%)

70
60
50
40
30
20
10

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

epsr

Figure 8. Efficiency versus Dielectric constants

From fig.8 a breakdown in efficiency is obvious at a dielectric constant value of ( r )=2.7; an improvement in efficiency
is seen as the dielectric constant is increased further. From ( r )= 2.8 and above a diminishing trend in efficiency is
observed as values of dielectric constants increases further from ( r ) =3 and above.

VI.

CONCLUSIONS

CST 2010 transient solvers simulations in this study have shown how important the choice of dielectric can be in RLSA
designs. The choice as seen from the study has immense effects in the overall performance of the RLSA antenna; thus
informing why a careful identification and selection of dielectric constants values is necessary for an efficient design. It
is therefore recommended for RLSA designers to study the properties of the various dielectric constants based on the
resonant frequency considered in studies of interest for effective and efficient antenna performance.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge all contributors of this study.

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