2017 Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium — Fall (PIERS — FALL), Singapore, 19–22 November

Co-planar Waveguide (CPW) Patch Antenna with

Octagonal-shaped Ring for WiMAX Application
H. Nornikman1 , M. Abdulmalek2 , M. Z. A. Abd Aziz1 , B. H. Ahmad1 ,
O. Al-Khatib2 , H. A. Rahim3 , A. A. A. Md Daud1 , L. Y. Yee1 ,
M. A. Z. Mohd Tahir1 , W. L. Yoong1 , M. F. Rosdin1 , and H. A. Bakar1
1
Center for Telecommunication Research and Innovation (CeTRI)
Faculty of Electronics and Computer Engineering (FKEKK)
Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia
2
Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences
University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), United Arab Emirates (UAE)
3
School of Computer and Communication Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

Abstract— WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a part of wireless

communication standards based on the IEEE 802.16 set of standards. In this work, a co-planar
waveguide (CPW) patch antenna with octagonal-shaped ring had been design for WiMAX appli-
cation of 3.5 GHz. This proposed CPW antenna is using FR-4 substrate with dielectric constant,
εr = 4.4 and the electrical conductivity tangent loss, tan Δ = 0.019. There are three stages of
the antenna design that consist the Design A — basic rectangular patch antenna, the Design
B — rectangular patch antenna with octagonal-shaped ring while the last stage is Design C —
rectangular patch antenna with octagonal-shaped ring with CPW effect. A parametric study
of CPW length, LCPW had been done to make sure the best return loss performance and the
location of the resonant frequency near to WiMAX frequency range. In this case, nine different
dimensions of LCPW that considers is from 11 mm to 19 mm. It shows that the LCPW = 18 mm
shows the resonant frequency of T 3.528 dB. The CPW patch antenna with octagonal-shaped
ring effect a wider bandwidth and create two resonant frequencies. It shows that the proposed
antenna covers from the 2.282 GHz to 4.216 GHz, with bandwidth of 1.978 GHz, improve from
Design A and Design B of 0.11 GHz and 0.73 GHz, respectively. Two resonant frequencies are
located at 2.59 GHz and 3.528 GHz with return loss of −23.89 dB and −34.78 dB, respectively.
The antenna gain of Design C is improve to 2.92 dB, after the addition of the CPW technique.
1. INTRODUCTION
Standing with rivalry standard called ‘LTE’, the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
or well-known as WiMAX represents the fourth generation of wireless communication. This en-
hanced technology is almost alike with Wi-Fi which gives users connections to the Internet without
wires. But, Wi-Fi only able to cover within a range of 100 feet while WiMAX can cover huge
distances like the cellular network. WiMAX also offers high-speed Internet access like broadband’s.
WiMAX might rather be called a wireless broadband. Under a single base station, the coverage is
much wider than WLAN and can reach a transmission rate of 70 Mbps [1]. This means any Internet
user can use the Internet from any geographical area.
The networking of WiMAX purposes nearly alike with Wi-Fi connection, but only differs in
a few aspects. WiMAX system has two prior components which is WiMAX tower and WiMAX
receiver. Just as same as Wi-Fi, WiMAX can connect immediately to the Internet by transmitting
a signal from WiMAX tower to any WiMAX-enabled computer through a wired connection. The
WiMAX tower is able to connect to a second tower which allows the network to provide a long-
distance wireless service. WiMAX tower can cover up to 30-miles radius which leads Wi-Fi that
only cover up to 100-feet range. The network of the coverage area is more than 3G towers about
10 times [2]. Frankly, it is just like scattered hotspots combined into a huge wireless hotspot.
Based on IEEE, 802.16 WiMAX standard authorizes data transmission using many broad-
band frequency range. The original 802.16a standard identified transmissions in the range of
10–66 GHz [3], but 802.16d permitted lower frequencies in the range of 2–11 GHz. The lower fre-
quencies used in the later descriptions which shows that the signals have less attenuation and they
provide better coverage within blocks and buildings and an improved range. Different part of the
world requires different bands. The often-used frequencies are 3.5 and 5.8 GHz for 802.16d and 2.3,
2.5 and 3.5 GHz for 802.16e and depending on the country itself.
A MAC (Medium Access Control) layer is a sub-layer inside the Data Link Layer. It is also
known as Layer 2 in OSI model standard seven-layer. The WiMAX MAC has been created perfectly

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to enable point to multipoint wireless application and gives an interface between the physical layer
and the application layer. This WiMAX MAC layer has a few requirements to be met such as point
to multipoint, supports communication in all conditions, efficient spectrum use and variety of QoS
options. WiMAX MAC layer also supports high bandwidth and hundreds of users per channel and
utilizes spectrum efficiently by supporting burst traffic [4].

2. ANTENNA DESIGN

The structure of the CPW double octagonal antenna is show in Figure 1. This antenna was modified
by adding co-planar waveguide. The final structure for this antenna is show below. This antenna
was designed by adding the co-planar waveguide. The parameter for the CPW is defined by using
parametric study. Table 1 represent the dimension of the CPW double octagonal antenna.

(a) (b) (c)

(d)

Figure 1: Design structure of CPW double octagonal antenna with modification steps, (a) Design A, Design
B, Design C, (d) Design C (fabricated).

Table 1: The dimension of the CPW double octagonal

antenna.
Parameter Value (mm)
Parameter Value (mm)
Width of substrate, W 52.2
Inner Octagonal shape, S  2.45
Length of substrate, L 40.0
Width of substrate, W 52.2
Height of substrate, H 1.6
Length of substrate, L 40.0
Width of patch, W g 26.6
Height of substrate, H 1.6
Length of patch, Lg 19.67
Width of patch, W g 26.6
Width of feedline, W f 2.6
Length of patch, Lg 19.67
Length of feedline, Lf 19.98
Width of feedline, W f 2.6
Width of cpw, W t 12.27
Length of feedline, Lf 19.98
Length of cpw, Lt 18.0
Width of cpw, W t 12.27
Gap between feedline and cpw, g 0.035
Length of cpw, Lt 18.0
Outer octagonal shape, S 5.092

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3. RESULTS
The proposed double octagonal shape coplanar antenna with CPW, conventional double octagonal
shape antenna without CPW and typical rectangular patch antenna is designed and simulated
by using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) simulation software. Besides, this software is
also used to calculate and plot the return loss, bandwidth and gain of the designed antenna. The
parameter for the CPW is defined by using parametric study, shown in Figure 2. Based on the
parametric study, the length of co-planar waveguide that match with the frequency resonant is
18 mm.

Figure 2: The parametric study of the length of co-planar waveguide.

Figure 3 showing the comparison of resonant frequency between typical rectangular patch copla-
nar antenna, conventional double octagon shape antenna without CPW and the proposed antenna.
Rectangular patch coplanar antenna resonates at 4.95 GHz to 5.06 GHz by referring to Design A.
For Design B, the frequency range of double octagonal shape antenna without CPW is resonating
between 4.00 GHz to 4.73 GHz while for Design C, the frequency range of the proposed antenna
is resonating between 2.28 GHz to 4.22 GHz. This shows that conversion of antenna to the final
proposed antenna with added CPW has widen the operating frequency range.
Bandwidth is the difference between upper and lower operating frequencies of the antennas.

(a) (b)

(d)
(c) (d)

Figure 3: Resonant frequency between (a) typical rectangular patch coplanar antenna (Design A), (b)
conventional double octagon shape antenna without CPW (Design B) and the (c) simulation result of the
antenna (Design C), (d) measurement result of the antenna (Design C).

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A typical rectangular patch antenna has a bandwidth of 0.11 GHz which is small in range. For
conventional antenna without CPW, the bandwidth is approximately 0.73 GHz. On the other
hand, the bandwidth of the proposed antenna is approximately 1.93 GHz. The bandwidth of the
proposed antenna is increased and improved about 164% as compared to double octagonal shape
coplanar antenna without CPW.
Hence, results showing that the proposed antenna design will give a significant improvement in
terms of bandwidth and resonant frequency. It increases the performance of antenna in WiMAX
application as it covers the operating frequencies range of WiMAX.
Figure 4 show the gain of the proposed antenna of Design C with 2.755 dB. The variation in gain
shows the proposed antenna has improved the gain, compare with conventional antenna. Figure 5
shows the radiation pattern of the proposed antenna of Design C. Figure 6 represent the surface
current distribution of the antenna of Design C at different phase.

Figure 4: Gain of the proposed antenna of Design C.

(a)

(b)

Figure 5: The radiation pattern for (a) simulation, phi = 0, and phi = 90, (b) measured E-E Plane, E-H
Plane, H-E Plane and H-H Plane.

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 2017 Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium — Fall (PIERS — FALL), Singapore, 19–22 November

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 6: Surface current distribution of the antenna of Design C at different phase, (a) 0◦ , (b) 90◦ , (c) 180◦ .

For the future works, it’s would like to say that, this works can be used as the part of the full
system of front end telecommunication with the others related equipment such as for RF filter [20],
RF switch [21, 22] and amplifiers also the other equipment such as microwave absorber [23].
4. CONCLUSION
The double octagonal shape coplanar antenna with CPW for WiMAX application had been de-
signed. Fabrication and simulation of the antenna was simulated by using CST studio suite software
and the result obtained from the simulation is demonstrated. The proposed antenna has achieved
good return loss, stable radiation pattern, and high gain. The double octagonal shape antenna
with CPW can be used for WiMAX application at 2.4 GHz bands. However, the practical result
does not adhere closely to the simulated result due to impairment during fabrication process. In
future, it is suggested that the return loss of the antenna can be improved by using a lower dielectric
constant substrate, a better impedance matching can be achieved by varying the feeding location
and lastly, gain enhancement can be done by using parasitic patches or EBG superstrate.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank Centre for Telecommunication Research and Innovation (CeTRI),
Faculty of Electronics and Computer Engineering (FKEKK), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
(UTeM) and Centre for Research and Innovation Management Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
(CRIM-UTeM), Melaka, Malaysia for support in obtaining the information and material in the
development of our work. The appreciation also had been given to the Faculty of Engineering
and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), United Arab Emirates
(UAE) for sponsoring this work under the grant. The thanks also had been given to the School of
Computer and Communication Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Arau, Perlis, Malaysia for
cooperation works to an improved presentation of our work.
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