Solutions 9 – microstrip patch antennas Antennas and Propagation, Frühjahrssemester 2010

Microstrip transmission line

Problem 9.1 :
A microstrip line is used as a feed line to a microstrip patch. The substrate of the line is
alumina (εrel = 10) while the dimensions of the line are w0 / h = 1.2.

a) Determine the effective dielectric constant εreff and

b) the characteristic impedance Z0 of the line.
c) Calculate the reflection coefficient if a line of the computed characteristic
impedance is connected to a 50 Ω line.
d) Calculate the respective lengths of half-wavelength long lines of impedance Z0
on alumina, of a line in free-space, and of a line fully embedded in alumina halfspace,
at f = 1.5 GHz.

a)
For w 0 / h = 1.2 and εr = 10 , the effective dielectric constant can be computed as
1
ε + 1 εr − 1 ⎡ h ⎤ −2
εreff = r + ⎢ 1 + 12 ⎥ = 6.86 .
2 2 ⎣⎢ w 0 ⎦⎥

b)
For a microstrip line with w 0 / h > 1 the characteristic impedance is given by:
120π
Zc = w
( w
εreff ⎡⎢ 0 + 1.393 + 0.667 ln 0 + 1.444 ⎤⎥
⎣ h h )⎦
= 44.414 Ω

c)
The reflection coefficient from a 50 Ω line is
50 − 44.414
Γ= = 0.059  −24.6 dB .
50 + 44.414

d)
λ0
The free-space wavelength is λ0 = 200 mm. Using λeff = ,
ε reff
for the 44.4 Ω line on alumina, λeff / 2 = 38.2 mm ;
for a line in free-space, λeff / 2 = 100 mm ;
for a line embedded in alumina, λeff / 2 = 31.6 mm .
Solutions 9 – microstrip patch antennas Antennas and Propagation, Frühjahrssemester 2010

Microstrip patch antenna

Problem 9.2 :
Design a rectangular microstrip patch with dimensions W and L over a single substrate,
whose center frequency is 10 GHz. The dielectric constant of the substrate is εr = 10.2 and
the height of the substrate is h = 0.127 cm. Determine the physical dimensions W and L of
the patch taking into account fringing fields.

With the parameters f0 = 10 GHz, εr = 10.2 and h = 0.127 cm a design of a

rectangular patch antenna can be made. A practical approximation for the width W is
c0 2
W = = 0.633 cm
2 f0 εr + 1
The effective dielectric constant can be determined from
1
ε + 1 εr − 1 ⎡ h ⎤ −2
εreff = r + ⎢ 1 + 12 ⎥ = 8.092
2 2 ⎣ W⎦
and the fringing effect is taken into account by extending the length of the patch by
ΔL on both sides

ΔL = 0.412 h
( εreff + 0.3 ) (Wh + 0.264 ) = 0.0509 cm
− 0.258 )( + 0.8 )
W
( εreff
h
Thus, the physical length of the patch is
λeff λ0
L = Leff − 2ΔL = 0.425 cm with Leff = , λeff = , λ0 = 3cm .
2 ε reff
Solutions 9 – microstrip patch antennas Antennas and Propagation, Frühjahrssemester 2010

Microstrip patch antenna

Problem 9.3 :
As shown in the figure below, a microstrip line feeds a rectangular microstrip patch antenna,
whose input impedance is 152.44 Ω at its leading radiating edge. The width of the feeding
line is w 0 = 0.2984 cm, the height of the substrate is h = 0.1575 cm and the dielectric
constant of the substrate is εr = 2.2 . The overall microstrip patch element length is
L = 0.9068 cm.
At what distance L1 should the microstrip patch antenna be fed so as to have a perfect match
between the line and the radiating element?

L1

W
w0

With w 0 = 0.2984 cm and h = 0.1575 cm (and thus w 0 / h = 1.895 ), the

impedance of the microstrip line can be computed by
120π
Zc = w w
(
εreff ⎡⎢ 0 + 1.393 + 0.667 ln 0 + 1.444 ⎤⎥
⎣ h h ⎦ )
= 68.266 Ω
where the effective dielectric constant is
1
ε + 1 εr − 1 ⎡ h ⎤ −2
εreff = r + ⎢ 1 + 12 ⎥ = 1.8216 .
2 2 ⎢⎣ w 0 ⎥⎦

The input impedance of the patch is given with Rin = 152.44 Ω , the length of the
patch is L = 0.9068 cm and thus the location of the recessed feed can be computed
by
π
Rin ( L1 ) ≈ Rin cos2 (L = Zc
L 1 )
π
68.264 = 152.44 ⋅ cos2 (
L
L 1 )
L1 = 0.2416 cm .
Solutions 9 – microstrip patch antennas Antennas and Propagation, Frühjahrssemester 2010

Microstrip patch antenna

Problem 9.4 :
Design a patch antenna working at the frequency 1.575 GHz and etched on Duroid 6010
substrate ( εr = 10 ) of thickness h = 0.508 mm.

a) Determine W and L ,
b) Determine the inset length L1 needed for matching of antenna to the microstrip
feed line ( 50 Ω )

L1

a)
For an efficient radiator, a practical width that leads to good radiation efficiency is:

c0 2
W = = 40.58 mm
2 f0 εr + 1

The effective dielectric constant is

εr + 1 εr − 1 ⎡ h ⎤ −1/ 2
εreff = + ⎢ 1 + 12 ⎥ = 9.696
2 2 ⎣ W⎦

Because of the fringing effects, one has to take into account that the antenna looks
greater than its physical dimensions of 2ΔL :

ΔL = 0.412 h
( εreff + 0.3 ) (Wh + 0.264 ) = 0.2202 mm
− 0.258 )( + 0.8 )
W
( εreff
h

So the real physical length will be

c0
L= − 2ΔL = 30.124 mm .
2 f0 εreff
Solutions 9 – microstrip patch antennas Antennas and Propagation, Frühjahrssemester 2010

b)
For the matching:

π
Rin (L1 ) ≈
1
2G1 (
cos2 L
L 1 )
where Rin (L1 ) has to match the microstrip line impedance 50 Ω .

sin X
I1 −2 + cos X + XSi (X ) +
G1 = = X = 490.326 S
120π2 120π 2

X = k0W = 1.3396 and λ0 = 0.19 m .

1
Rin = = 1019.73 Ω
2G1

⎛ 50 ⎞⎟ L
L1 = cos−1 ⎜⎜⎜ ⎟ = 0.4289L
⎝ 1019.73 ⎠⎟ π

or if the approximate expression is used (with W / λ0 = 0.2132 , h / λ0 = 0.0027 ):

1 ⎛W ⎞⎟2
G1 = ⎜ ⎟ = 505.05 ⋅ 10−6
90 ⎜⎝ λ0 ⎠

1
Rin ≈ = 990 Ω
2G1

⎛ 50 ⎞⎟ L
L1 = cos−1 ⎜⎜⎜ ⎟ = 0.4278L
⎝ 990 ⎠⎟ π
Solutions 9 – microstrip patch antennas Antennas and Propagation, Frühjahrssemester 2010

Microstrip patch antenna

Problem 9.5 :
A rectangular microstrip patch antenna operating at 10 GHz with a substrate with εr = 10.2
has dimension of length L = 0.4097 cm, width W = 0.634 cm, and substrate height
h = 0.127 cm. It is desired to feed the patch using a probe feed. Neglect mutual coupling.

a) Determine the input impedance of the patch at one of the radiating edges based on the
transmission-line model.
b) At what distance L1 from one of the radiating edges should the coax feed be placed so
that the input impedance is 50 Ω ?

Given are
f0 = 10 GHz
( λ0 = 2.99 cm),
εr = 10.2 ,
h = 0.127 cm,
L = 0.4097 cm and
W = 0.634 cm.

a)
With W  λ0 , h  λ0 the asymptotic value of the conductance is given by

1 ⎛W ⎞⎟2
G1 = ⎜ = 496.8 ⋅ 10−6 S
90 ⎜⎝ λ0 ⎠⎟

and thus the input impedance is

1
Rin = = 1006.4 Ω .
2G1

b)
The input impedance at the probe feed point is 50 Ω, therefore

π
Rin ( L1 ) ≈
1
2G1
cos2( )
L = 50 Ω .
L 1

The feed point is therefore located at

cos ( Lπ L ) =
1
50
1006.4
= 0.223

L1 = 0.175 cm .