Dipole Antennas

Prof. Girish Kumar

Electrical Engineering Department, IIT Bombay

gkumar@ee.iitb.ac.in
(022) 2576 7436
 Infinitesimal Dipole

An infinitesimally small current element is

called the Hertz Dipole (Length L< λ/50)

Assume an infinitesimal current element of

length dl carrying an alternating current Io. The
instantaneous current is

𝑖(𝑡) = 𝐼𝑜 𝑒 𝑗𝑤𝑡 𝑖𝑧

𝜇 𝑒 −𝑗𝑘𝑟 𝑗𝑤𝑡 where, k =

2π
𝐴 = 𝐴𝑧 𝑧 = 𝐼 𝑑𝑙 𝑒 𝑧 λ Dipole and its field components
4𝜋 𝑜 𝑟
in spherical polar co-ordinate
Uniform Current –Magnetic Vector Potential
E and H Fields from Magnetic Vector Potential
Uniform Current – E and H Fields
 Uniform Current – Near and Far Fields
Near Field Region

Near Reactive Field Region

Near Radiative Field Region

Far Field Region

where d is the maximum dimension
r> of the antenna
 Uniform Current - Radiation Pattern
Far Field Region (kr>>1) Directivity
U max 3
𝑘𝐼𝑜 𝑙 D0  4 
𝐸𝜃 = 𝑗𝜂 sin𝜃 Prad 2
4𝜋𝑟
𝑘𝐼𝑜 𝑙
𝐻𝜙 = 𝑗 sin𝜃
4𝜋𝑟
𝐸𝜃 E-plane radiation pattern
= 𝜂 = 120𝜋 Impedance of
𝐻𝜙 free-space
2
𝑙
𝑅𝑟 = 80𝜋 2
𝜆

𝐸𝑟 ≃ 𝐸𝜙 = 𝐻𝑟 = 𝐻𝜃 = 0 3-D radiation pattern

Note : Infinitesimal antenna is not an efficient radiator H-plane radiation pattern
 Small Dipole Antenna
A current element whose length is /50 < l  /10 is called small dipole antenna

A small dipole Antenna Approximate Triangular Current distribution

 Small Dipole – Radiation Resistance

Small dipole current distribution Far Field Region (kr>>1)

2 𝑘𝐼0 𝑙𝑒 −𝑗𝑘𝑟
𝐼𝑒 𝑥 ′ , 𝑦 ′ , 𝑧 ′ = 𝑎𝑧 𝐼0 1 − 𝑧 ′ , 0 ≤ 𝑧′ ≤ 𝑙 2 𝐸𝜃 ≃ 𝑗𝜂 sin𝜃
𝑙 8𝜋𝑟
𝐸𝑟 ≃ 𝐸𝜙 = 𝐻𝑟 = 𝐻𝜃 = 0
2
𝑎𝑧 𝐼0 1 + 𝑧 ′ , − 𝑙 2 ≤ 𝑧′ ≤ 0 𝑘𝐼0 𝑙𝑒 −𝑗𝑘𝑟
𝑙 𝐻𝜙 ≃ 𝑗 sin𝜃
8𝜋𝑟
2
2𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑑 2
𝑙
𝑅𝑟 = = 20𝜋
Small dipole vector potential |𝐼0 |2 𝜆
0
𝜇 2 ′ 𝑒 −𝑗𝑘𝑅 ′
𝐴 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝑎 𝐼0 1+ 𝑧 𝑑𝑧
4𝜋 𝑧
−𝑙 2
𝑙 𝑅 For l = λ / 10, Rr = 2 Ω
𝑙 2 l = λ / 4, Rr = 12.3 Ω
2 ′ 𝑒 −𝑗𝑘𝑅 ′
+ 𝑎𝑧 𝐼0 1− 𝑧 𝑑𝑧
𝑙 𝑅 Dipoles also have reactive impedance
0
 Input Impedance of Transmission Line
l

𝑍0 𝑍L
Case 1: 𝑍𝐿 = 0, → Z𝑖𝑛 = 𝑗𝑍0 tan𝛽𝑙
𝑍0
Case 2: 𝑍𝐿 = ∞, → Z𝑖𝑛 =
𝑗tan𝛽𝑙
𝑍in
Case 3: 𝑍𝐿 = 𝑍0 , → Z𝑖𝑛 = 𝑍0
2𝜋
Where, 𝛽=
𝜆
𝜆 For Short-circuit, ZL = 0, Zin is inductive, so T-Line represents inductance
𝑖𝑓 𝑙 < → tan𝛽𝑙 = +𝑣𝑒 Open-circuit, ZL = , Zin is capacitive, so T-Line represents capacitance
4
𝜆 𝜆
< 𝑙 < → tan𝛽𝑙 = −𝑣𝑒
4 2
 Half wavelength Dipole
Electric and magnetic fields of Directivity of half-wavelength dipole
a half-wavelength dipole
𝜋 𝑈max
−𝑗𝑘𝑟
𝐼0 𝑒 cos 2 cos𝜃 𝐷0 = 4𝜋 ≃ 1.643
𝐸𝜃 ≃ 𝑗𝜂 𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑑
2𝜋𝑟 sin𝜃
𝜋 D = 2.1 dB
𝐼0 𝑒 −𝑗𝑘𝑟 cos 2 cos𝜃
𝐻𝜙 ≃ 𝑗
2𝜋𝑟 sin𝜃

λ/2 Dipole Radiation 2𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑑 Note: Input impedance for λ/2 dipole is 73+j42.5Ω.
𝑅𝑟 = 2 ≃ 73 To make imaginary part equal to zero, the antenna
Resistance |𝐼0 |
length is reduced until the input impedance
becomes real.
Design of Dipole Antenna
𝑙 + 𝑑 = 0.48𝜆, where, d is the diameter of wire and d<𝜆/10 Real Input impedance is < 68Ω.
Current Distribution of Dipole Antenna for Different Lengths
Radiation Pattern of Dipole Antenna for Different Lengths
Dipole Antenna Radiation Pattern for l = 1.25λ

Two Dimensional Three Dimensional

Directivity is maximum for a thin dipole of length l = 1.25λ
Dipole Antenna Resistance and Directivity

D0 = 3.25

Rr
 Flat Dipole Antenna

BW for |S11| < 10 dB is

from 1.39 to 1.54 GHz
(150 MHz, 10.2%)

Length of each segment = 50 mm

Width = 4mm, Gap = 2mm
Flat Dipole Antenna Pattern and Directivity
Radiation Pattern at 1.5, 3.75 and 4.5 GHz

Directivity of 4.8 dB is
maximum at 3.75 GHz
where length of dipole
is approx. 1.25 λ
 Printed Dipole Antenna

Length of each segment = 50 mm

Width = 4mm, Gap = 2mm
FR4 substrate: εr = 4.4, tanδ = BW = 1.14 to 1.28 GHz (140 MHz, 11.6%)
0.02, h = 1.6mm
 Broadband Dipole Antenna
Bandwidth of dipole antenna is directly proportional to its diameter

Cylindrical dipole antenna Biconical dipole antenna

(can use hollow pipe also) (can use wire grid also)
 Balun Design
Devices that can be used to balance inherently unbalanced systems by cancelling
or choking the outside current, are known as baluns (balance to unbalance).

𝑙 𝑙

𝜆 4 Metal 𝜆 4
Coaxial line

Outer
Inner
Shorted conductor
conductor
of coax
together of coax

𝜆 4 Coaxial Balun (1:1)- Narrow Bandwidth

 Balun Design (Contd.)
Ferrite core maintains high impedance levels over a wide frequency range.
A good design can provide bandwidths of 10 to 1 whereas coil coaxial
baluns can provide bandwidths of 2 or 3 to 1.

Ferrite core

Metal sleeve
𝑍1 (unbalanced)

𝑍1 (balanced)

Shorted to coax’s Coaxial line

outer conductor

Ferrite core balun

Sleeve or bazooka balun Wide BW
Narrow BW
 Microstrip Balun Dipole Antenna for GSM900

Microstrip Balun Dipole Antenna BW for |S11| < 10 dB is from 881 to 967 MHz
L = 127 mm, w = 4 mm (covers GSM900 band of 890 to 960 MHz)
FR4 substrate: εr = 4.4, tanδ =
0.02, h = 1.6mm
 Folded Dipole Antenna

The impedance of the N fold folded dipole is

N 2 times greater than that of an isolated
dipole of the same length as one of its side.

Impedance for 2-fold dipole antenna is

𝑍𝑖𝑛 = 22 𝑍𝑟
𝑍𝑖𝑛 = 4𝑍𝑟

2-fold dipole antennas are used in Yagi-Uda Antennas for

TV reception using balanced line of Z0 = 300 Ω
 Dipole Antenna Applications

Chip

Compact Dipole Antenna for RFID

Folded Broadband Dipole Antenna for

RF Harvesting
(Triangular shape for broadband and
multi-fold gave Zin = 750 Ω)