2nd International Conference on Advanced Technologies

for Signal and Image Processing - ATSIP'2016

March 21-24, 2016, Monastir, Tunisia SRF-79

Design of Rectangular Microstrip Patch Antenna

Houda Werfelli, Khaoula Tayari, Mondher Chaoui, Mongi Lahiani, Hamadi Ghariani
National Engineers school of Sfax
Laboratory of Electronics and Technology of Information (LETI)
Sfax, Tunisia
werfelli.houda@yahoo.fr

Abstract— The purpose of this paper is to design a
microstrip rectangular antenna in Advance Design
System Momentum (ADS). The resonant frequency of
antenna is 4.1GHz. The reflection coefficient is less than -
10dB for a frequency range of 3.1GHz to 5.1 GHz. The
proposed rectangular patch antenna has been devise
using Glass Epoxy substrate (FR4) with dielectric
constant (ɽr = 4.4), loss tangent (tan į) equal to 0.02. This
rectangular patch is excited using transmission lines of
particular length and width. Various parameters, for
example the gain, S parameters, directivity and efficiency
of the designed rectangular antenna are obtained from
ADS Momentum.
Keywords— Ultra Wide Band; Microstrip; rectangular
patch antenna; bandwidth; Return Loss ; ADS Momentum.
radiating element on the dielectric substrate and on the
other side a ground plane, as illustrated in Fig 1. There
are several category of the microstrip patch antenna, can
be cited some example the circular, a square radiating
element, triangular, semicircular..., but the most
common is rectangular element [2][3].
The study and the design of rectangular patch antenna is
presented in this research paper. We begin first with
schematic model of the rectangular patch antenna.
After, the different simulations of circuit conceived are
studied and we finish by conclude our work.

I. INTRODUCTION

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC)

specified some rules for Ultra Wideband (UWB)
system communication; it has authorized the use of
UWB communication in the frequency band of 3.1 to
5.1 GHz at a spectral density equal to -41.3dBm/ MHz.
Radar systems have been used for various applications
such as monitoring and remote sensing. Radar remote
sensing techniques have become interesting to
researchers. Ultra Wideband radar system based on the Fig.1. Rectangular Patch Antenna
transmission of short duration pulses. The principle of
II. FEEDING TECHNIQUES OF MICROSTRIP ANTENNA
this radar is transmitting a short duration pulses and
then detecting the reflected pulse response [1]. The patch antennas may be powered with many
methods. The processes feeding are categorized in two
In the UWB radar system, an antenna plays a very methods:
important place. This is one among the important
• In category contacting, the feeding technique is
features of the transceiver chain. An antenna both
powered by means of a connecting element such
transmitting and receiving the pulse wave. The last
as a microstrip line into the radiating patch.
element is designed to radiates and receiving a signal
• Without contact category, a transfer of power
carrying an information to be processed.
between the microstrip line and radiating
The microstrip UWB antennas is one of the most element is performed with the electromagnetic
commonly used antennas in radar applications. It has field coupling.
attracted a lot of attention because of their advantages The most famous feeding techniques employed in the
such as ease of fabrication simple structure, easy microstrip patch antenna are: coaxial probe, feeding
integration with microwave integrated circuits. technique with microstrip line and aperture or proximity
Geometric shape of a microstrip antenna comprises a coupling methods.

978-1-4673-8526-8/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE 798

A. Feeding Techniques
In this kind of feeding process (Fig.2), the edge of
the microstrip patch is connected directly to a
conducting strip. This feeding method offers the benefit
that the conducting line can have the opportunity of
engraved on same substrate of patch antenna providing
a planar shape. The width of conducting element is
smaller as compared at the patch antenna.
Fig .2.Microstrip line technique
B. Coaxial Probe Feeding Techniques
The outside conductor of a coaxial connector
attached at ground plane, while the inside is extends
across the dielectric and is welded at the radiating
element antenna.
However, the disadvantage of this technique is a
difficult to model and produce à narrow bandwidth.
Figure 3 show this type of feed technique.
Fig.3. Coaxial Probe Feed
C. Feeding Techniques With Proximity coupled
This feeding technique (Fig.4) utilized two dielectric
substrates in order that the feed line, firstly, is between
two substrates and on the other hand the radiating
element is on top of the upper substrate.
Fig.4.Proximity coupled Feed
D. Aperture coupled feed
This type of feed technique (Fig.5), a microstrip
feed line is separated by the ground plane to the
radiating patch.
The feed line and the radiating element is coupled
through an aperture or a slot in the ground plane . The
variations in the coupling will depend of width and
length of the slot to improve the simulation result of
bandwidths and return losses. The slot is usually
centered under the radiating element [4] [5].
Fig.5.Aperture coupled feed
III. DESIGN RECTANGULAR PATCH ANTENNA
A rectangular microstrip antenna is conceived for
a UWB system communication application, which is
operating at a frequency of 4.1 GHz. The proposed
rectangular patch antenna has been conceived utilizing
the substrate Fr4 with dielectric equal to İr = 4.4 and
height of substrate (h) = 1.6 mm. This microstrip
antenna is working at a frequency of 3 GHz to 5 GHz
[6] [7].
The basic steps for the development of rectangular
patch antenna (RPA) are:
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Step 1: A parameter Width of the radiating RPA is The Equivalent circuit of the rectangular patch antenna
compute from this equation: of 4.1 GHz in ADS schematic is presented in Fig. 6
where :
C 2
W= (1) The component Mloc: refers the dimensions (W, L) of
2 fr εr +1
the patch antenna.
Where: The component Mlin: designates a feed line
8
c: velocity of light, 3*10 m/s, The component M step: adapting the patch and the feed
İr :dielectric constant of the substrate. line, expanding the band by varying its dimensions.

fr : resonant frequency of antenna

Step 2: Effective Dielectric constant of the PRA is
determined as:

§ ·
¨ ¸
ε r +1 ε r −1¨ 1 ¸
ε eff = +
¨ ¸
2 2 2h (2)
¨ 1+ ¸
© W ¹
Fig.6. Schematic model of the rectangular antenna (PRA)
Step 3: The effective length is specified at the
resonance frequency Return loss simulation result of the schematic model of
rectangular antenna is shown in Fig.7.

C (3)
Leff = 0
2 fr ε eff
-5
dB(S(1,1))

Step 4: Extension length of the PRA compute with this

equation: -10

§W ·
(ε+ 0.3) ¨ + 0.264¸
eff
-15
m1
m1
freq=4.160GHz
dB(S(1,1))=-19.545

ΔL = h * 0.412 * ©h ¹ (4)
-20

(ε eff − 0.258) §¨ W + 0.8·¸ 1 2 3 4 5 6

©h ¹ freq, GHz

The length " L" of the PRA is calculates as: Fig .7.Return loss (S11)

After the simulation of the rectangular patch antenna, it

L = Leff − 2ΔL (5)
The patch dimension is W=22.26 mm * L=16.95 mm.
The feed dimension is WL= 3.1 mm *LL=10.4 mm.
The ground plane length and width are calculated as
Lg=26.55 mm and Wg= 31.86 mm respectively.
The proposed rectangular patch antenna is designed
using electromagnetism simulation software ADS.
was found that the band is very narrow comparing to
the standard bandwidth (UWB) which is 2 GHz, which
is insufficient for the good running of our antenna. And
to optimize, we use the function GOAL (ADS
schematic) [8].
For optimization our antenna circuit, the intention is
to fit the value of reflection coefficient (S11 ) at the
bandwidth, the goal function is to make a value S11 at
-10 dB for a bandwidth between 3-5GHz. A Goal

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function are put from the ADS tools palette into the 5
circuit designed , as presented in Fig. 8 .
4

VSWR1
3

1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

freq, GHz

Fig.10. VSWR simulation result

Fig.8. Optimized schematic model of the rectangular antenna
Figure 9 shows the return loss amplitudes depending of
the frequency of conceived UWB antennas. The
obtained results indicate that the antenna has UWB
characteristics in the whole frequency band with a
return loss below -10 dB, the bandwidth (band
frequency is 3 at 5 GHz) is obtained and the
resonance frequency is 4.3GHz.
IV. LAYOUT MODEL OF THE RECTANGULAR PATCH
ANTENNA
The layout window is used for the physical design
of the model. The physical design can be created
directly in the layout window, or be designed in the
schematic and then converted into the layout window.

-5
dB(S(1,1))

-10

-15

-20
0 2 4 6 8 10

freq, GHz

Fig.9. Return loss of optimized PRA

Figure 10 shows the simulated result of VSWR against
frequency (GHz). Voltage standing wave ratio
(VSWR) parameter varies usually from 1.5 to 2 in the
frequency range 3 GHz to 5 GHz [8]. Starting at
simulated result, the rectangular patch antenna present
the best characteristic of VSWR in the band frequency.
It complies with the VSWR equal to 1.8.
Fig.11.Layout shape of the rectangular antenna
Figure 12 show the return loss (S1, 1) simulation result
of the optimized rectangular patch in ADS Momentum.
It is clear from the figure that the patch resonates at 4.3
GHz and has minimum loss at the resonant frequency
of -14 dB.
The radiation pattern of UWB rectangular microstrip
antenna is depicted below (Fig .13). We are getting one
lobe (main lobe) which corresponds to the theoretical
radiation pattern of patch antenna radiant.

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 S11 TABLE I. Antenna Parameters
0
Power radiated (Watts) 0.4949

-5 Effective angle ( degrees) 159.60

Mag. [dB]

Directivity (dB) 6.5430

-10

Gain (dB) 3.488

-15
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Maximum intensity 0.17762
Frequency (Watts/ Steradian)
Fig.12.Return loss antenna simulation

V. HFSS SIMULATION

The results of simulation of rectangular patch

antenna made by software Ansoft High Frequency
Structure Simulator (HFSS) is shown on Fig. 14.

(a)

Fig.14.HFSS model of microstrip antenna with rectangular patch

The simulation of the rectangular patch antenna by

means of HFSS, it was found that the band is
acceptable comparing to the standard bandwidth which
ranges 3 to 5 GHz; the resonance frequency is 4.3 GHz
and the return loss S11 equal to -30 dB.
(b)

Fig.13.3D radiation pattern: (a) Front view, (b) Opposite view

Table I shows the simulation of directivity and gain of

microstrip antenna with rectangular patch. Directivity,
Gain and power radiated are important parameters to
determine the efficiently of antenna. Gain of 3.48 is
achieved.

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 XY Plot 1
Name X
m10.00 4.3000 -30.9352
Y HFSSDesign1
Curve Info
ANSOFT
Advanced Design System and Ansoft High frequency
structure simulator.
m2 2.4500 -29.4630 dB(S(1,1))
Setup1 : Sw eep

-5.00

As the outlook work, we may extend our research to

-10.00
study a various slot antenna in affects the resonance
-15.00 frequency and the bandwidth.
d B ( S ( 1 ,1 ) )

-20.00
REFERENCES
-25.00
[1] Yong-Xin Guo; Kah- Wee Khoo; Ling Chuen Ong "Wide band
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-35.00
1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00
Freq [GHz]
[2] A.H.M. Zahirul Alam, Md. Rafiqul Islam and Sheroz Khan "
Design and Analysis of UWB Rectangular Patch Antenna ", Pacific
conference on applied electromagnetiggs proceedings, December 4-
Fig.15. Return loss of HFSS simulation antenna 6 , 2007, Malaysia.

[3] Werfelli Houda, Mondher Chaoui, Hamadi Ghariani, and

Figure 16 describes the simulated result of VSWR .A Mongi Lahiani. "Design of a pulse generator for UWB
VSWR value varies from 1.6 to 1.7 throughout the communications", 10th International Multi-Conferences on Systems
Signals & Devices 2013 (SSD13), 2013.
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3.00
m1
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4.3000 1.0576
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m3 3.0000 1.6747 Setup1 : Sw eep

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This difference in resonant frequency is returns from to
the typical of software simulation because ADS is most
focused on planar stuff but HFSS is much more
sophisticated tool 3D.

VI. CONCLUSION

The conception and simulation of rectangular

microstrip patch antenna that operates in UWB
frequencies was successfully designed using advanced
design system. From observing the return loss, VSWR,
it is very clear that this antenna works on the designed
UWB frequency range. This research, detailed the
designing of our UWB rectangular antenna in the

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