A Lab Manual

On

Design and Fabrication of a Microstrip

Patch Antenna

Prepared by

Syed Saadullah Hussaini

Entry No. 2012 CRF 2074
Objective:

To design and fabricate a linearly polarised rectangular /square microstrip patch antenna on a given substrate of
thickness 0.762 mm and dielectric constant 3.2 at a frequency of 890 MHz and 2.5GHz. And measure the antenna
parameters like return loss and radiation pattern.

Brief Introduction:
Microstrip antennas find many applications as they are low profile, light weight, conformable to surface and
inexpensive to manufacture using printed-circuit technology. For a rectangular patch, the length L of the element
is usually L < λg/2 (where λg is the guide wavelngth on the substrate). Thicker substrates with lower dielectric
constant provide better efficiency and larger bandwidth but at the expense of larger element size. Thin substrates
with higher dielectric constants lead to smaller element sizes, minimize coupling, but are less efficient and have
relatively smaller bandwidths.

Fig.1 Microstrip Antenna

The field variation across the length of the patch is shown in figure 1(b). The normalized impedance along the
length of the patch is shown in figure 2, maximum resistance at the edges is typically 150 – 300 ohms and the
centre is a short circuit.

Fig.2 Normalized Impedance along the length of the patch

Design Procedure:
Step 1
Calculate the width of the patch as

Step 2
Calculate the effective dielectric constant
For (W/h > 1)
Step 3
Calculate the length correction due to fringing

Step 4
The length of the patch can now be calculated as

Step 5
The feed point position for 50 Ohms can be calculated using the following expression

Where Rin ( y=y0) is 50 Ohms and Rin ( y=0 ) is roughly given as (Neglecting the mutual coupling of
the slots)

Alternatively the patch can also be fed using a quarter wave microstrip line as an impedance
transformer, or using an inset feed, proximity fed etc.
Simulation:
Once the dimensions are obtained the antenna can be simulated on a commercially available 2.5D or a
3D EM simulator. And further optimization and fine tuning of dimensions can be carried out to bring the
resonance back at the desired frequency with acceptable return loss.

Mask Generation and Antenna Fabrication:

Layout generation can be done in intellicad or autocad software for preparing the mask. Once the mask
is pinted on a transparent sheet, the patch can be fabricated using conventional photolithography
process.

Test & Measurement:

The return loss for the patch antenna can be measured on a network Analyzer. The E-plane and H-plane
patterns can be measured in a far-field test set up (preferably in an anechoic chamber) with a standard
gain antenna as a transmitting antenna and the Antenna under test as a receiving antenna mounted on a
pedestal.