Abstract In this paper, a novel design of a stacked similar, space filling nature and have repeating structure at a
two layer microstrip patch antenna with wideband different scale [2-3]. These properties of fractal geometry are
characteristics is proposed. This paper follows fractal and directly related to the frequency characteristics and radiation
stacking methodology to improve the characteristics of characteristics of the antenna. Generally fractal concepts are
microstrip antennas. This antenna consists of two circular helpful in achieving multi-band characteristics and
patches. The upper radiating patch is suspended with subsequently, it may be optimized to achieve larger bandwidth
Teflon clamps over the lower driving element. The of an antenna. Similarly, fractal curves introduce discontinuity
radiating patch is excited through EM coupling by the on the radiating patch and help to improve radiation
driving element. The rectangular slots on the ground plane performance of an antenna. The fractal structure could be
are loaded for better impedance matching over the generated by an Iterative mathematical process, known as
operating frequency range. The impedance bandwidth of Iterative Function Scheme (IFS).
single layer patch is 7%. After using stacking and fractal
methodology the impedance bandwidth increases up to It is known that the narrow bandwidth of single layer direct
69% ranging from 7.5GHz to 14.4GHz with acceptable contact microstrip antenna is the prime limitation for which it
return loss. This antenna offers Omni-directional radiation is not suitable for all applications. If the foam is used as
patterns in H-plane. This antenna is useful for X-band substrate, the impedance bandwidth of patch antenna increases
applications such as radar, mobile communication, up to 8%. The antenna bandwidth is influenced by the
satellite communication etc. as its center frequency is thickness of the substrate and the gap between the two patches
10GHz. [4-5].
Where
(2)
Where
h is the height of the substrate,
is the dielectric constant of the substrate, and
is the resonant frequency of the antenna.
The gap between upper and lower patch is quite larger than After simulation, it is observed that the bandwidth of the
the height of substrate. Ground plane is slightly etched on the proposed antenna is influenced by the gap between the two
bottom side of the substrate as shown in Fig. 3. patches. Bandwidth of the antenna is improved by increasing
the air gap from 2mm to 3mm and the results are shown in
Fig. 6. At height 3mm, the designed antenna offers good
bandwidth from 7.5GHz to 14.4GHz with the notch at the
center frequency of 10GHz.
Fig. 4. Simulated reflection coefficients for different iterations Fig. 7. Return loss response w.r.t. slot width(S) of the proposed antenna
Fig. 8. 3-D radiation pattern of stacked two layer circular fractal antenna
(a)H-plane (=0)
35.00
30.00
25.00
V S W R (1 )
20.00
15.00
10.00
5.00
0.00
0.00 2.50 5.00 7.50 10.00 12.50 15.00 17.50 20.00
Freq [GHz]
Fig. 11. VSWR response of stacked two layer circular fractal antenna
10.00
Curve Info
dB(S(1,1))
5.00 Setup1 : Sweep
G a in (d B )
dB(GainTotal)
Imported
Phi='150deg' Theta='0deg'
-0.00
(b) E-plane (= )
-5.00
-10.00
Fig. 9. Radiation pattern of stacked two layer circular fractal antenna -15.00
Fig. 12. Simulated gain and return loss response of the proposed design.
The VSWR response of this antenna is found to be less [14] R. J. Mailloux, On the Use of Metallized Cavities in Printed Slot
Arrays with Dielectric Substrates, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat.,
than 2.15 over the frequency band as shown in Fig. 11. From Vol. AP-35, No. 5, pp. 477487, May 1987.
Fig. 12, it is observed that the gain response of the proposed
antenna is 3dB at 10GHz.
IV. CONCLUSION
Stacked Two Layer Circular Fractal Microstrip Antenna
has been designed and simulated successfully using HFSS
software. Different antenna parameters have been examined
for the proposed design. Moreover, increasing the air gap
between the circular patches improves the frequency
bandwidth. The fractional bandwidth of stacked two-layer
circular fractal antenna is 69% ranging from 7.5GHz to
14.4GHz. The proposed fractal antenna provides preferably
flat gain variation over the operating range. The designed
antenna offers omnidirectional radiation pattern in H- plane.
So the stacked two layer circular fractal microstrip antenna is
suitable for X- band applications.
REFERENCES