Pin-fed rectangular patch

Quantity

Typical

Minimum

Maximum

Polarisation

Linear

Radiation pattern

Single broadside lobe

Gain

6 dBi

5 dBi

8 dBi

Performance bandwidth

1%

0.5%

5%

Complexity

Moderate

Impedance

50

25

300

Balun

None required

Background
Microstrip antennas, also called patch antennas, are very popular antennas in the microwave frequency range because of their simplicity and
compatibility with circuit board technology.

The rectangular patch antenna is one of the most commonly used microstrip antennas. The pin-fed patch is the simplest patch antenna to
construct, and does not suffer from feed network radiation. The pin-feed also allows simple impedance control.

Physical Description

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Quick Summary

Pin-fed rectangular patch

The pin-fed patch probably has the simplest construction among microstrip patch antennas. The outer conductor of the coaxial cable is connected to
the ground-plane, while the centre conductor is fed through a hole in the substrate / ground-plane and electrically connected to the patch element.
The patch antenna element is usually manufactured by etching it in a metallised substrate, or by bonding metal cut-outs to a bare substrate. Pin-fed
patches are sometimes constructed without a substrate by suspending the patch over a ground plane using the feed-pin or additional isolated
supports. Stand-alone antennas are often constructed with a coaxial feed connector in the ground plane.

Feed Method
Pin-fed patch antennas are fed by bringing the centre conductor of a coaxial cable through a hole in the substrate and ground plane, and electrically
connecting the conductor at the designed patch feed-point. The feed-point is positioned so as to control impedance. The feed-pin is usually an
extension of the centre conductor of a coaxial cable used to feed the antenna.

Operation Mechanism
The patch can be seen as a resonant cavity [Balanis, C. A.] with radiating slots at each end of the patch. The fringing fields act to extend the
effective length of the patch, with the result that the length of the half-wave patch is usually less than a half wavelength in the dielectric medium.

Performance
Pin-fed patch antennas have moderate gain and a narrow bandwidth. The performance bandwidth is primarily limited by impedance.

Impedance Characteristics
These antennas usually operate near resonance to obtain a real-valued input impedance. The input impedance is determined by the position where
the feed-pin is connected to the patch, and can be used to control the real part of the input impedance quite accurately. However, the inductance
caused by the feed-pin can degrade the input match. The pin-inductance increases as the substrate is made thicker, and can prevent the input
impedance from becoming real when thick substrates are used. Since thicker substrates are needed for patch antennas with higher bandwidths, the

Antenna Magus 5.1.0: 2-2-2015, Content Copyright Magus Pty (Ltd)

pin-fed patch antenna is unsuitable when higher bandwidths are required.

Pin-fed rectangular patch

Typical input impedance versus frequency

Typical reflection coefficient versus frequency

Radiation Characteristics
The pattern of a rectangular patch antenna is rather broad, with a maximum direction normal to the plane of the antenna and a null in directions
tangential to the ground plane. On smaller ground planes, the null-depth is reduced. On thicker substrates the feed-pin may cause spurious cross-

Typical total gain pattern at the centre frequency

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polarised radiation.

Pin-fed rectangular patch

Typical normalised total gain pattern in dB at the centre frequency

References
C. A. Balanis, Antenna Theory Analysis and Design, 2nd Ed., 1997, Chapter 14.

nd

W. L. Stutzman, G. A. Thiele: Antenna Theory and Design, 2

Ed., 1990, Chapter 5.8.

J. Huang, The Finite Ground Plane Effect on the Microstrip Antenna Radiation Patterns, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. AP-

Model Information (FEKO)

Model 1
An infinite ground model of the antenna.

This model has been optimised for simulation speed by using a Greens function. Hence it does not take into account the effects of a finite ground
plane and substrate. While this model is recommended for design optimisation, final verification should be done using a model that takes finite
ground plane and substrate effects into account.

Model 2
A finite ground model of the antenna using the MoM solver.

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31, No. 4, July 1983.

Pin-fed rectangular patch

This model takes into account the effects of a finite ground plane and substrate. The size of the ground plane and substrate can be adjusted
parametrically inside the model. The Surface equivalence method is used.

Model 3
A finite ground model of the antenna using the FEM/MoM solver.

This model takes into account the effects of a finite ground plane and substrate. The size of the ground plane and substrate can be adjusted
parametrically inside the model. Finite feed-pin thickness is only partially taken into account, since part of the feed-pin is approximated using a line
current-source. The finite element method is used.

Model Information (CST MICROWAVE STUDIO)

Model 1
A finite ground model of the antenna optimised for the F-solver.

This model takes into account the effects of a finite ground plane and substrate. The size of the ground plane and substrate can be adjusted
parametrically inside the model.

Model 2
A finite ground model of the antenna optimised for the T-solver.

This model takes into account the effects of a finite ground plane and substrate. The size of the ground plane and substrate can be adjusted
parametrically inside the model.

Model 1
An infinite ground model of the antenna.

The model uses an infinite dielectric substrate with an infinite perfect conducting ground plane.

Model Validation
Pattern results have been validated against measured pattern results by J. Huang. The antenna impedance has been verified against theoretical
prediction.

Each export model has been validated to give the expected results for several parameter variations in the design space.

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Model Information (AWR DESIGN ENVIRONMENT)

Pin-fed rectangular patch

Magus Analysis
The internal performance estimation is expected to be similar to a full 3D-EM analysis. The effect of a finite ground plane is not taken into account.
Expect:

- Small frequency offsets (-3% to +3%)

- Possibly inaccurate reflection coefficients below -15 dB

Design Guidelines
- To increase (decrease) the resonant frequency, decrease (increase) the patch length.
- To increase bandwidth, increase the substrate height and/or decrease the substrate permittivity (this will also affect resonant frequency and the
impedance).
- The bandwidth may be increased (decreased) by increasing (decreasing) the patch width.
- To increase (decrease) the input impedance decrease (increase) the pin inset.

Note: Antennas on very thin substrates have high copper-losses, while thicker and higher permittivity substrates may lead to performance
degradation due to surface waves and feed-pin impedance. The effect of surface waves and substrate size are described in the Magus article:
Planar antennas and surface waves. The maximum impedance that can be realised is governed by the impedance seen at the edge of the patch.
The minimum realisable impedance is zero, at the centre of the patch. However, the practical minimum is governed by the rapid impedance

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variation as the centre is approached.