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Antenna Simulation
By
Antenna Simulation
Using electromagnetic simulation tool FEKO
CONTENTS
1. FEKO Overview.
About
MOM..
6
Application of
MOM
General
Meshing
Rules.. 7
FEKO
7.0
package
Introduction
CADFEKO
Suit
8
to
Examples
with
FEKO. 1 1
2. Example-1: Dipole antenna 12
3. Example -2: Monopole antenna . 22
4. Example -3: Microstrip circular patch antenna 31
5. Example -4: Horn antenna 38
6. Example-5: Yagi Uda antenna..................................... 50
7. Example-6: LEPO/MLFMM Horn Fed Reflector........... 52
FEKO OVERVIEW
FEKO (FEldberechnung bei Krpern mit beliebiger Oberflche) is an Electromagnetic
Simulation tool by which we can perform field analyses on arbitrary geometries
and
If the current distribution over space is known then charge build up at each point
of the structure can be calculated.
Applications of MOM
Metal surface and wires
Dielectric coating
Dielectric sheet
Rule-3: Segment current should flow only in the axial direction. This
implies that segments should not be too short relative to the wire radius.
Therefore the segment length should be at least four times the radius of
wire.
Rule-4: In a conductive surface modeling by means of a wire grid, the
wire radius should be chosen so that the wire area in one direction is
approximately the same as the area of the original surface.
Rule-5:
more number of triangles requires large memory, if memory consumption is
not an issue; an edge length of
interface finer element size (approx
FEKO 7.0
CADFEKO EDITFEKO POSTFEKO PREFEKO OPTFEKO TIMEFEKO
GUI (Graphical User Interface) components of FEKO are as follows CADFEKO is used to create model, mesh model, specify solution settings and
specify requests in a graphical environment.
EDITFEKO is used to construct model using high level scripting language.
POSTFEKO is used to view the results from binary output file and to display the
results such as near field, far field, current distribution, s parameters etc on 2D or 3D
view. POSTFEKO can also show the meshed FEKO model with or without excitation
before the actual FEKO run.
INTRODUCTION TO CADFEKO
The component CADFEKO is used to perform following tasks in graphical environment Creation of model
Meshing geometry
Specifying electromagnetic parameters
Solution configuration
Optimization
Features of CADFEKO
Starting of CADFEKO
To start CADFEKO Click:
At this window there are some quick access points 1. Create a new model: To create a structure that is to be simulated
2. Open an existing model: To open previously saved model
3. Recent models: To open recently used models
CADFEKO window
Clicking on Create a new model opens CADFEKO window shown in following fig.
1. Quick access toolbar: In this bar some quick access controls such as New model,
Open model, Save model, undo, redo and Application launcher such as FEKO SOLVER,
POSTFEKO, EDITFEKO, PREFEKO are given.
2. Ribbon: The ribbon contains the application menu, default tabs, contextual tabs and
contextual commands.
3. Model tree: The model tree has all necessary information about the model in
expand/collapse fashion that can be altered such as parametric variables, creation of
named points, workplanes, defining media, defining cables, mesh refinement, non-radiating
networks, adding of ports and excitations, setting the frequency, requesting calculations
and setting up optimization runs.
4. Details tree: The details tree consist the geometry object details such as edges, faces
and regions.
5. Active status bar: The active status bar gives quick access to general display settings,
tools and selection method and type.
6. 3D view: The 3D view facilitates to visualize the geometry and solution settings (such as
far field requests, etc.). Additional visualizations such as cut planes and symmetry can also
be displayed.
7. Help: The Help button gives quick access to the FEKO manuals.
8. Notes view: The notes view is be used to document a model here additional comments,
explanations or descriptions can be added.
Solution requests
Dipole length:
Feeding
Centre feed
technique:
Centre
900MHz
frequency:
Radiation patterns
Current distribution
Reflection coeficient
1. DIPOLE OVERVIEW
above the
11
SIMULATION STEPS
Step-1: Start CADFEKO
To create structures in FEKO the CADFEKO must be launched by clicking on
Programs -> FEKO -> Suite 7.0 -> CADFEKO -> Create a new model
Variable Name
Expression
Frequency
freq
900e6
lambda
c0/freq
Length of dipole
lambda/2
displayed->
select
continuous
(interpolated
Step-9: Meshing
Before solving the geometry it must be meshed. To create
meshing click on mesh tab -> click on create mesh
button in meshing
section
->
create
mesh
After meshing, run CEM validate (computational electromagnetically validate), it will take
a note of warnings and errors regarding frequency, meshing, geometry and solutions.
17
18
To see results like Radiation pattern (E-plane, H-plane and 3-D view) click on 3D view
construct tab and select the configuration for which you want to see the result.
In this example we have requested for radiation pattern (all types), current distribution in
dipole and S11 parameter. To see radiation pattern click on Far field and select the field for
which you have requested so, you will see radiation pattern as shown below:
To see polar plot, select polar (on create new display tab) and select the required field from
Far field tab.
19
To see reflection coefficients (in dB) versus frequency plot, click on Cartesian button, and
you will see a Cartesian plot now On Source data tab ,select voltage source. This will show
a plot of reflection coefficient Vs frequency. Click on dB on right hand side window to
see values in dB.
You can also select the quantity from trace window.
To see Current distribution in dipole, select the configuration from 3D view and add current
fron Add result tab. The results are shown in following figure.
Specifications
Solution requests
Radiation patterns
Current distribution
Reflection coeficient
VSWR plot
21
Step-4: Create a line primitive with the start and end coordinates as
(0,0,0) and (0,0,h) respectively.
Step-5: Create finite ground plane using ellipse primitive.
Step-6: Union monopole line and ground plane.
Step-7: Define a wire port at one end of monopole line.
Step-8: Add a voltage source to the wire port.
Step-9: Set the solution frequency in continuous frequency range and
set start and end frequency .
Step-10: Set solution request e.g. Far field region, S-parameter, Current
etc.
Step-11: Mesh the model and run the FEKO solver.
Step-12: Launch POSTFEKO and view the requested results.
SIMULATION STEPS
Step-1: Start CADFEKO
To create structures in FEKO the CADFEKO must be launched by clicking on
Programs -> FEKO -> Suite 7.0 -> CADFEKO -> Create a new model.
Variable
Expression
Name
Frequency
95e6
lambda
c0/f
Length of dipole
lambda/4
Radius of monopole
lambda*1e-5
3*lambda/(2*pi)
Step-6: Union
Select line and ellipse using ctrl key -> click on
Union button on Construct tab.
frequency
window
To request for current distribution in dipole length, Select the Request tab and
click on the current button. Click on create to request current distribution
through length of dipole.
To request for S-parameter of dipole. Select the Request tab and click on the Sparameter button. Click on create to request for S-parameter.
Step-11: Meshing
The geometry is created, but before run FEKO
solver it is to be meshed for this select the Mesh
tab and click on the Create mesh button. Select
the standard mesh size and set the wire segment radius
equal to lambda*1e-5 and click on mesh. Dialog create
mesh is shown in fig.
To view results like Radiation pattern (E-plane, H-plane and 3-D view) click on 3D view
construct tab and select the configuration for which you want to see the result.
Select the far field and see the result
To see reflection coefficient (in dB) versus frequency plot click on Cartesian button, on
Source data, select voltage source. This will show a plot of reflection coefficient Vs
frequency. Click on dB on right hand side window to see reflection coefficient in dB.
You can also select different quantity from trace window like Gain, VSWR etc. The results
are shown in following figure:
Solution requests
Radiation patterns
Current distribution
Reflection coeficient
SIMULATION STEPS
Variable Name
Expression
Frequency
1e9
lambda
(c0/f)*1e3
Substrate width
sw
160
Substrate depth
sd
160
Substrate height
6.360
Dielectric constant
epsr
2.0
Radius of patch
57.9
0.8
Feed distance
Sf
13.36
centre
point
as
(0,
0,
0)
and
created
variable
for
the
relative
Relative
permittivity
field.
Write
0.0
for
the
Step-8: Union
Select the three geometry parts (substrate, ground and line 1) in the model tree
and click on the Union button (in Modify group) of construct tab.
A horn antenna is used to transmit radio waves from a waveguide (a metal pipe used to
carry radio waves) out into space, or collect radio waves into a waveguide for reception. It
typically consists of a short length of rectangular or cylindrical metal tube (the waveguide),
closed at one end, flaring into an open-ended conical or pyramidal shaped horn on the
other end. The geometry used in this example is a rectangular horn that is excited by a
waveguide feed.
37
SIMULATION STEPS
Step-1: Start CADFEKO
To create structures in FEKO the CADFEKO must be launched by clicking on
Programs -> FEKO -> Suite 7.0 -> CADFEKO -> Create a new model.
Step-2: Set the model unit
Meter unit is convenient to define lengths in this example. To change model unit
Click on Construct tab -> Model unit icon in define section -> model
unit dialog box wil be appeared -> select unit as meter (m) -> OK.
Step-3: Define variable
To define variable click on Construct tab -> Add variable icon in define
section -> create variable dialog box will open -> enter the name of
variable in name space -> enter the numeric value or the expression
that evaluate the value of the variable -> click on evaluate button->
click on Add button.
Similarly add the entire variable as shown in table:
Variable Description
Variable Name
Expression
Frequency
2e9
Maximum frequency
fmax
1.2*f
Minimum frequency
fmin
0.8*f
lambda
c0/f
Height of aperture
aperture_height
0.4117
Width of aperture
aperture_width
0.53555
Flare length
flare_length
0.45151
Waveguide length
waveguide_length
0.2248
Waveguide height
waveguide_height
0.05883
Waveguide width
waveguide_width
0.1177
Mesh size
mesh_port
lambda/20
width
-waveguide_length/2),
as
waveguide_width,
depth
and
as
the
horn
using
the
flare
width
and
top
depth
are
aperture_width, aperture_height
flare_length,
respectively.
tab).
waveguide
excitation
is
applied
to
the selected
waveguide
port.
For
this
mode
only
and
Label
as
WaveguideExcitation1.
continuous
frequency
as
range
and
set
fmin
and
end
frequency as fmax.
Step-12: Symmetry
For Waveguide port we have selected the reference
direction
as
degree
so
the
model
has
Step-13: Meshing
The geometry is created, but before run FEKO
solver it is to be for this select the Mesh tab
and click on the Create mesh button. Select the
custom mesh size and enter triangle edge
length to be mesh_port.
To see results like Radiation pattern (E-plane, H-plane and 3-D view) click on 3D view
under construct tab and select the configuration for which you want to see the result.
Select the far field and see the result.
5. YAGI-UDA ANTENNA
Keywords: antenna, Yagi-Uda antenna, real ground, infinite planar Greens function,
optimisation
In this example we consider the radiation of a horizontally polarised Yagi-Uda antenna
consisting of a dipole, a reflector and three directors. The frequency is 400 MHz. The
antenna is located 3 m above a real ground which is modeled with the Greens function
formulation. Note that the model provided with this example includes a basic optimisation.
The optimization is set up such that the optimal dimensions of the antenna may be
determined to achieve a specific gain pattern (maximize the forward gain and minimize
back lobes).
Start point
(d, -ld/2, h)
(2*d, -ld/2, h)
(3*d, -ld/2, h)
End point
(d, ld/2, h)
(2*d, ld/2, h)
(3*d, ld/2, h)
7. Create a dielectric called ground with relative permittivity of epsr and conductivity
equal to sigma.
8. Set the lower half space to ground. This can be done by setting the infinite plane to
use the exact Sommerfeld integrals.
9. Set the frequency to freq.
Requesting calculations
A single plane of electrical symmetry on the Y=0 plane is used in the solution of this
problem.
The solution requests are:
_ Create a vertical far field request above the ground plane. (-90____90_, with _=0 and
_=0.5_ increments)
_ Set the Workplane origin of the far field request to (0, 0, 3).
Meshing information
Use the standard auto-meshing option with the wire segment radius equal to wireRadius.
CEM validate
After the model has been meshed, run CEM validate. Take note of any warnings and errors.
Correct any errors before running the FEKO solution kernel.
Note that a warning may be encountered when running the solution. This is because losses
cannot be calculated in an infinitely large medium, as is required for the extraction of
antenna directivity information (gain is computed by default). This warning can be avoided
by ensuring that the far field gain be calculated instead of the directivity. This is set on the
Advanced tab of the far field request in the tree.
A-5.2 Results
The radiation pattern is calculated in the H plane of the antenna. A simulation without the
ground plane is compared with the results from the model provided for this example in
Figure A-5-2. As expected, the ground plane greatly influences the radiation pattern. (Note
that the graph is a vertical polar plot of the gain in dB for the two cases.)
Directivity pattern of Yagi-Uda antenna over a real ground and without any ground.
Note that the optimised pattern is also shown.
Create a cylinder along the Z axis with the base centre at (0,0,-w_l-h_l), a radius h_a
and a height w_l. Label the cylinder waveguide.
Create a cone with a base centre (0,0,-h_l), a base radius h_b0, a height h_l and a
top
radius h_b. Label the cone flare. Union the two parts and then simplify the resulting
union. Rename the new part to horn.
Delete the face on the end of the horn.
Rotate the horn with -90_ after setting the axis direction to (0, 1, 0).
Set a local mesh size of lam/20 on the face at the back of the waveguide section.
Create a waveguide port on the same face.
Add a waveguide excitation on the waveguide port (Excite the fundamental mode use the default settings).
The horn is now complete. The next step is to create the parabolic reflector.
References
1. Antenna theory by C.A Balanis.
2. Microwave engineering by David M Pozar.
3. Antennas for all applications by John D Kraus.
4. Users manuals of Feko suite
5. Getting started manual feko suite.