Spiral Microstrip Antenna

Dinísio Raony Ribeiro, Leonardo Augusto de Santana, Marlen Carneiro Alves, José Felipe Almeida

Amazon Studies Institute (IESAM), Belém, PA, Brazil
Carlos Leonidas da S.S. Sobrinho
Depto of Elect. and Comp. Eng., Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, PA, Brazil

dionisio@comp.iesam-pa.edu.br, LEONARDO.A.SANTANA@GMAIL.COM,
MARLEN@TELE.IESAM-PA.EDU.BR, FELIPE@PROF.IESAM-PA.EDU.BR,
LEONIDAS@UFPA.BR

Abstract — This paper deals with a microstrip antenna that

has a spiral geometry rectangular form. This antenna form is
based on the analysis of a spiral monopole. Through such
configuration, it is possible to obtain a wider bandwidth
operation. In addition, a considerable bandwidth in this type of
microstrip is verified.
Index Terms — Bandwidth, microstrip antenna, spiral antenna.

I. Introduction
Several difficulties of a conventional microstrip antenna are
related to the narrow operation band [1-3]. Many techniques
have been used to solve such problem [4]. This kind of
antenna can be integrated with other elements in the circuit
that uses planar structures (MMICs - monolithic microwave Fig. 1. Geometry of the spiral microstrip antenna.
integrated circuits). In opposition to the microstrip problem,
there are the spiral monopole antennas which have radiation III. The FDTD performance
patterns and impedance without variation inside of a
wideband and, therefore, are known as frequency independent This project was firstly simulated to obtain the best
[5-6]. In [7], for example, the authors had used a numerical performance, and then the antenna was constructed. The
technique to simulate what they called monopole horizontal FDTD method was implemented by the technique of ABCs
spiral, and being on vertical form [9] in relation to the UPML [10-12]. The FDTD discretization is made ∆x =
grounding in [8], with the objective to analyze some 0.3891 mm, ∆y=0.4000mm and ∆z=0.1588mm. So, the
parameters of these antennas. The purpose of this article is to feedline is placed in the antenna with the width 6∆x. To
present a spiral antenna in MMIC configuration, which also maintain the Courant condition, the time discretization was
can be called rectangular spiral microstrip antenna. All the done in such way that ∆t=0.441ps. For the excitation source
geometry in this work is based, therefore, in the microstrip of the antenna it was considered a Gaussian pulse, whose
antennas [1-3] and in the ideas of analysis made for spiral bandwidth is 3,0 GHz. Therefore, Figs.2, 3 and 4 show the
monopoles [7-8]. So, a model of a simple antenna can be FDTD aspects of the simulated antenna.
confectioned and the return losses are presented through
experimental measurement.

II. The model
The antenna presented as project of this work is a
microstrip. This antenna is fed by a stripline, which will have
to compose the entire device in regular orthogonal breakings
in spiral form. The substrate was chosen to be 0,7 mm Duroid
5880 and dielectric constant 2.2. The characteristic
impedance of the transmission line is 50 Ω. In the following
figure (Fig.1) the structure and its geometry are shown.
Fig.2. FDTD simulation.

Fig.5. Microstrip spiral antenna.

Fig.3. Normalized voltage in the resonant regime by iteration

0
numbers (FDTD).
-5

-10

90
|S11| (dB)

10 -15
120 60
0
-20

-10
150 30 -25 Measurements
-20 FDTD
-30
-30
Plane x-z
-40 180 Eφ 0 -35
Eθ 1,00 1,25 1,50 1,75 2,00 2,25 2,50
-30 Frequency (GHz)
-20
210 330
-10
Fig.6. Return loss (measurements and FDTD simulation).
0
240 300
10
270
V. Conclusion

Fig.4. Electric field radiation pattern (FDTD).

IV. Results
Fig.5 presents the circuit of the spiral microstrip antenna.
In Fig. 6 is shown a good agreement between FDTD
simulation and measured data. Notices that the central
resonant frequency is near to 1,69 GHz and, in particular, at
-10 dB return loss, the bandwidth (experiment) is close to 23
% (1,5–1,9 GHz).
The Spiral microstrip antennas are suitable choices for
radiating elements because of the relatively wider bandwidth
compared to other resonant conventional microstrip. The
choice of 1,69 GHz has been done because of the facility to
design FDTD simulation, for 50 Ω environment, and due to
the available material. But other bands can be used in a more
specific project. Moreover, when compared with a monopole,
the printed spiral antenna has a good portability and compact
structure. The contribution of this study is to present a
geometric configuration for the microstrip, which allows
operation with wideband without using special techniques.
 [6] W. L. Curtis, “Spiral Antennas”, IEEE Trans. on Antennas and
Propagat., pp. 298-306, May 1960.
[7] J. A. Kaiser, “The Archimedean two-wire Spiral Antenna”,
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1960.
[8] K. Q. da Costa, V. A. Dmitriev e C. L. da S. S. Sobrinho,
The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance and “Análise e Otimização de um Monopólo Espiral Horizontal,” 2 o
support of the LANE/PPGEE/UFPA and Amazônia Celular. Momag, Campinas/SP, 2005.
[9] K. Q. da Costa, V. Dmitriev, C. Rodrigues, “Fractal Spiral
Monopoles: theoretical analysis and bandwidth optimization,”
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