Introriurriun. Microstrip fed slot antennas, Fig.

I, are deemed to

be suitable for MMIC transceivers. In the past few years, there has been some effort to develop analysis techniques capable of dealing with these antennas. Some of the approaches proposed are rigorous [ I . 21, hut they require excessive computation. In this Letter. a simple approximate technique based on the transmission line model is presented. The equivalent circuit of the structure is given and techniques for the determination of its elements are outlined. The approach is particularly useful for fast evaluation of the input impedance o f microstrip fed dot antennas.

Z,"

b -plane

H-plane pattern pattern

Fig. 1
(I

Cwdusiun: Presented herc is a novel type of aperture coupled microstrip subarray design. with sevcral advantages over similar structures. A straightforward analysis and design method is briefly described. which is general enough to handle arbitrary numbers of subarray elements. A five-element subarray is shown as an exaniple of this concept.

Antenna Circuit

0 IEE 1994
Elrrrrunics Letrrrs Online No: I Y Y 4 1 2 Y X

13 Septeinhrr I Y Y 4

S. M Duffy and D. M. Porar (Drportinmt U/ Elrctrrcul unci Coinplrrrr En,qineering. University of Mussurhurrtts. .4mher.~r. A 01003. U S A ) M

References
POZAK. 11M : 'Microstrip antenna aperture coupled to 'I microstriplinc'. Electron Lett., IY85. 21, pp. 49 50 2 M l L L t K P A . MACKK HAN J ( . S r A K R . M R . and I l A H t L E . J S : 'A wide bandwidth low sidelobe low profile microstrip array antenna for communication applications' 1989 [SAP Proc. Dig.. 1989. pp.

525-528
L W ~ Y .H . and SH.~MI. L : 'A high performance spider suharraq of five microstrip patches'. IEEE Antenna5 and Propagation Synlp Dip.. 1993. pp. 13Y4 13Y7 4 POLAR. D M . 'A reciprocity method of analysis for prlnted slot and slot-coupled microstrip antennas'. IEEE 7run.5 19x6. AP-34. pp. 1439 I446

Approximate model for microstrip fed slot antennas

H.G. Akhavan and D. Mirshekar-Syahkal

An approiiniate model developed to obtain the input impedance of the microstrip fed slot antenna ss presented. Using this model. the input impedances of several slot antennas are predicted. For these antennas. the validity of the modelling is supported by comparing the values of the rcturn losses measured agamst those obtained theoretically.

.Muddling. The structure of the microstrip fed slot antenna together with its approximate equivalent circuit are shown in Fig. I . The first step in the modelling is to consider the slot as two short-circuited slot lines parallel with a conductance (or resistance). representing the radiated power from the slot. The slot susceptance B, at the input of the two short-circuited slot lines, can he obtained using the expression of the input Impedance of lossless transmission lines. leading to B, = ( - 2 / 2 , ,)[cot(K,L',/2)]. In this expression. Z, is the characteristic impedance of the slot line. K , = k / h 6 is the wavenumber of the slot. where h, , = h,,/&, ,. h, = d 1,. E(., is the effective dielectric constant of the slot, and L ,= L, ' Mi,,is the effective length of the slot. The two parameters Z , , and & , I have been determined using the computer program presented in [ 3 ] . The effective length L', is based on the assumption that negligible flux of the norm:iI component of the magnetic field produced by the microstrip line passes through part ol' the slot blocked by the microstripline. To determine the rudiation conductance G, of the slot, the standard procedure presented in [4] is followed, leading to G, = = I , I X h ? . where P, = (V,,'/?4On')I is the total radiated power from the slot and V, ir the voltage across the centre of the slot. In the above equation I = j,?{s i n [ ( n ~ ~ / h ) c o s ~ ] / c o s e } , s i n 3 9 ~ and its value is determined using a standard numerical technique. The second step in the modelling is to transform the impedance of the slot antenna along the microstrip hne. By using the Kirchhov voltage law for the primary and secondary circuits of the transformer shown in Fig. I h , it is clear that the antenna impedance Z , seen at the input of the transformer is Z, = ; L , o + [ M a ' / R,+;(L,w+X,)] where R, and X,are the real and imaginary parts of the impedance of the slot antenna. respectlvely. M is the mutual inductance and L , and L , are the primary and secondary winding self-inductances of the transformer, respectively. The values of M , L , and L, can be evaluated approximately. as follows. Assuming that the microstrip line. carrying current f, has a very narrow width compared to the slot Length. the Ampere law is used to find the approximate value of the magnetic field and then magnetic flux Q through the slot. In this case, M = Q / I = (~WW,/2z)ln(secB,) where uarctan(L'J2h). Assuming that L , corresponds to the I = inductance of length W, of the microstripline, and L, corresponds to the inductance of length W, of the slot line, the values of L , and L, are determined using the equation of self-inductance per
~ ~

1902

:S ELECTRONIC LETTERS

70th November 1994

Vol. 30

No. 23

unit length of transmission line L = %, IV,, (where Z, is the characteristic impedance of the transmission line, I, = C/&, is the phase : velocity of the transmission h e , and c is the speed of light j. \re,.,,,/C]W , . a n d L1 = [Z,,~E, W,,, where Z, is )[] ", impedance and E, ,, is the effective dielectric constant of the microstripline Thc expressions for these two parameters are given in [6]. The third step in the modelling i,i to find the input admittance y,, of the opeii-ended microstrip line in Fig. I h . This admittance is obtained by transforming the equivalent admittance of the open end. G,,,, t jB,,,. along length L,,, 01' the microstrip line. B,, is thc susceptance of the t'ringing field capacitance associated with the upen circuited microstrip line. a n d G,,, is the equivalent radiation conductance due to the radiation losses a t the end of the microstrip line. The values of B,,, a n d G,,,, (:an he specified a s follows.

0 IEE 1994
Ele~1ronic.s Lerrmr Onlinc No. IYY413011

I?

A U ~ U . V I1YY4

H. G. Akhavan and I). Mirshekar-Syahkal (Depnrinrmr o / Elerrronir Sy.srems Enginwring, 1'niivrsir,v of E . w Y. Colchesrtv Essrx. CO4 3SQ. I/ni/cd Kinxdnni)

References
POLAK. I I M : 'A rcciprocit? melhod 0 1 analysis fbr pnnied SIUIand slot-coupled microstrip antennas'. /LEE I ' r m . , 1Y86, AP-34, pp. 1439 1446 HHATTACHAKYYA .\, APU A K . > I and ITTIPIHOON.A : 'Pull wave analysis tor the cquivalcnt circuit of an inclined slot on a microstrip ground plane'. IEE P ~ u LH.. 1992. 139. (3). pp. 145-~250 . M i K s t i t u K . s Y A i i K : \ t . n : 'Spectral domain method for microwave integrated circuits' (John Wiley and Sons. New York, 1990) HALANIS. r 4.: 'Antenna theory. Analy R o w Publisher. New York, IY82) HhMLl1:KSTArI. F.1) : 'Equations for microstrip circuit design'. Proc. 5th European Microwave Conl.. 1075. pp. 268 277 BAHI.. I J.. and uHAtirI.%. I,.: 'Microstrip antennas' (Artech-House.

To obtain the equivalent capacitance C; (i.e. E,,, = wC,) due to the fringing lields, the equivalent length technique can he used. Aaauming that I,,, is the equivalent extra length o f the microstrip line whcre the expression for I,.,, ia given in 151, then Ct (Ip,/ <~)(&,,,,/z, determine the equivalent radiation conductance , ) . '1.0 G,,,,, expression G,,,, :l6UnWIZ,,,?L,,% given in [7] is used. ,,,,) llsing %, (the impedance at the input of the transformer) and Z,,, = I/Y,,, given in this Section. the input impedance of the slot antenna as seen along the microstrip line a t the plane coinciding with the
~'

1981)
JAMtS. J K

. and I i F N I ) k R w N . A.: 'High-Srequency behaviour of. microstrip open-circuil Ierminations'. IEE Proc. I I . , 1979. 3 , ( 5 ) . pp. 2 0 5 ~ IX 2

This impedance is transformed (along length L, of the microstrip line) t o obtain the input impedance of the slot antenna at the driving terminal.

0
.
-1 0 --

5
~

Performance of microstrip patch antenna with electrically thick laminated glass superstrate
~ ~

P. Lowes, S.R. Day. E. Korolkiewicz and A. Sambell

m D -1 5 . -

,=-20
-

-25

-30
2 3

a
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5 frequency,GHz
1,

" ' :

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'

l h c efSccis 01 a lammicd glass superstratc on both the radiation pattern and the mpedanct bandwidth of it microsirtp patch antenna are reported. I t is shown that nulli that appear in the radiation pattern of the antenna. due 10 auriace wave eflccts. can be succzsafully eliminated by the use OS layer of resistive film. The hdndwidth of thr antenna IS signilicantly increased IO -XI'!.;, while the gain is maintained ;it 5 hdB.
In/rodirc/ion: There is currently a requirement for a short range niicrowave communications link (5.XGHz) between a roadside unit a n d a moving vehicle for ii variety of road traffic applications. In the vehicle it i s convenient t o place the microstrip patch antennas. used to transmit a n d receive messages t o a n d from the roadside. i n direct contact with the windscreen in order to minimise the protrusion within the vehicle. How,ever, the presence of a superstrate within the reactive 'near-field' affects the electrical behaviour of the a n t e n n a This type of 'near-field' interaction. between microstrip patch antennas a n d a n electrically thick superstrate cover. has previously been shown to alfcct both the input impedance and resonance frequency of the antenna [I]. thus requiring the patch clemcnt a n d feed network to he redesigned. T h e presencc of a peripex superstrate has also been shown to produce variations in the radiation patterns of patch antennas with the main beam being split into a number of minor lobes [ 2 ] . Similar results are presented in this Letter which show nulls appearing in the radiation pattern of a patch antenna with a laminated glass superstrate. To date, no technique has been reported that can be used t o eliminate the effects on the polar pattern due to the presence of the superstrate cover. However. in this Letter a novel approach is suggested that successfully cancels these effects (Patent No. GB Y411923.7). which are caused by the generation of surface wave power within the covering layer. It is also shown that the presence of the laminated glass superstrate results in a substantial increase in the impedance bandwidth of the antenna. 20'% for a VSWR of 2 a s compared t o 2 % 3 ' %for a n antenna with no covering layer.

m -6

4 -8

,=
-

~10 --12 - 14 -1 6

~-

2
b

3
frequency,GH;!
.A/OItinrwniu.\

[>t.,.l
-

Fig. 2 K F I U ~ I,J.S.S~VI W J N fbr

ti

bvith E ,

2.2. /I

: :

1.hmm

L, = 44.3mm. PV, = 2.Ymm, 1) L , = 43.0mm. U, 1.7". '

~

= 4.Xmni.
:~

4,:imm.

I!,-.

48 jmtn. L, = 12.8mm . j i m m . I ,,,, = 12mm

theor) incasurcd

RPsuits and conclu.\ion: The approximate technique developed for the calculation o f the input impedance of microstrip fed slot antennas was applied to several slot antennas for which experimental data on their return losses were available. Kesults a n d structural specifications for two examples are shown in Fig. 2. From this Figure. a cloae agreement between theory a n d measurement is evident, confirming the validity of the model. T h e noticeable difference is in the bandwidth where the measured results show higher power losses which can he attributed to radiation from the microstrip connector a n d energy leaking to surface waves. Fig. 2n and h reveal that when the slot width decreases the return loss of the antenna is significantly increased due to the reduction i n the coupling between the microstrip a n d slot lines.

The equivalent circuit shown in big. Ih can be further refined by terminating the slot into two inductors instead of using short circuits.

Meuswed polar parrern results: In road traffic applications. circular polarisation is required to he used. However, to allow the E-

ELECTRONICS LETTERS

70th November 7994

Vol. 30

No. 23

1903