2014 International Conference on Circuits, Systems, Communication and Information Technology Applications (CSCITA)

Broadband -Shaped Microstrip Antenna

Amit A. Deshmukh1, Neelam Phatak1

Kamala Prasan Ray2

1. EXTC, DJSCOE, Vile-Parle (W),

Mumbai 400 056, India
Email: amitdeshmukh76@rediffmail.com

2. RFMS, SAMEER, IIT Campus, Powai

Mumbai 400 076, India
Email: kpray@rediffmail.com

Abstract: A new broadband -shape microstrip antenna is

proposed. The -shaped patch is realized by cutting two
rectangular slots on the opposite edges of the rectangular
microstrip antenna. The two slots reduce the resonance
frequencies of orthogonal TM10 and higher order TM11 modes of
the patch and along with its TM01 mode, yields bandwidth of
nearly 500 MHz (> 45%). The two slots also modify the surface
currents directions at orthogonal and higher order modes and
thereby give broadside radiation pattern over the BW without
any variation in the directions of the principle planes. The
proposed antenna gives peak gain of nearly 9.0 dBi.

increases antenna BW by nearly 10% [13]. An increase in the

BW of -shaped MSA is reported due to an additional mode
introduced by the tuning stub which is formed due to the pair
of additional slots. However detail explanation for the mode
introduced by additional slots (stub) which leads to an
increase in the BW was not given. The detail analysis to study
the broadband response in -shaped MSA is reported [16]. It
was observed that pair of rectangular slots which were cut to
realize equivalent E-shaped MSA, reduces the resonance
frequency of higher order TM20 mode of the equivalent
RMSA and along with its TM01 mode, yields broadband
response. Further when an additional slots were cut (which
forms the tuning stub), they optimizes the resonance
frequency and impedance at next higher order TM21 mode of
the E-shaped patch and yields an increase in the BW. The two
pair of slots also modifies the surface current distributions at
TM20 and TM21 modes to yield broadside radiation pattern
over the BW, without any variations in the directions of
principle planes. The design of -shaped MSA in 1000 MHz
frequency band is also reported which yields BW of nearly
500 MHz (>45%) [16].

Key terms: Broadband microstrip antenna, -shape microstrip

antenna, Rectangular slot, Proximity feeding, Higher order mode

I. INTRODUCTION
The broadband microstrip antenna (MSA) is realized by
fabricating the patch on lower dielectric constant thicker
substrate and further to realize the impedance matching, the
proximity feeding technique has been used [1 4]. In most of
the reported literature, the patch is suspended in air thereby
realizing dielectric constant of unity. More frequently
broadband MSA is realized by cutting the slot inside the
patch, which is fabricated on electrically thicker substrate [5
10]. The slots of different shapes like, U-slot, V-slot and
rectangular slot have been used. Depending upon the
frequency range in which they are designed, a slot cut MSAs
yields BW in the range of 25% to 40% with a gain of 6 to 8
dBi. It is a general understanding in these slot cut MSAs that
when the slot length either equals half wave or quarter wave
in length then it introduces an additional mode near the
fundamental patch mode to yield broadband response. Further
increase in the BW of slot cut MSA is obtained by cutting an
additional slot inside the slot cut MSA [11 13]. This multi
resonant structure increases the BW by 10 to 15% as
compared to that of single slot cut MSA. The compact and
broadband slot cut MSAs are realized by using the symmetry
of slot cut MSAs across the feed point axis and further by
using only half of the configuration [14, 15]. These compact
MSAs yield nearly the same BW with 50% reduction in patch
size. The broadband E-shaped MSA is realized by cutting pair
of rectangular slots on one of the radiating edges of
rectangular MSA (RMSA) [10]. In this case slot length is
taken to be nearly quarter wave in length. Further by cutting
an additional pair of rectangular slots on the other radiating
edge of E-shaped MSA, a -shaped MSA is realized, which

978-1-4799-2494-3/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

In this paper, compact variation of -shaped MSA, a -shape

MSA, in 1000 MHz frequency band is proposed. The -shape
MSA is realized by cutting two slots on the two opposite
edges of the RMSA. In -shaped MSA, broadband response
is realized due to the coupling between modified TM01, TM20
and TM21 modes of the equivalent RMSA. In -shape MSA,
since the effective RMSA dimensions are changed, the above
modes will not be present to realize broadband response.
Hence detail analysis and design procedure for the proximity
fed -shape MSA is presented. Through the analysis it was
observed that, two slots reduce and optimize the position of
modified TM10 and TM11 mode frequencies of the equivalent
RMSA with respect to its TM01 mode frequency and realizes
broadband response. The antenna first optimized using IE3D
software, yields simulated BW of 480 MHz (48%) [17]. For
measurements, the MSA is fabricated using copper plate
having finite thickness and it is fed using N-type connector of
0.32 cm inner wire diameter. The measurement was carried
out using R & S vector network analyzer. The measured BW
is 490 MHz (51%). These BWs are nearly the same as that
given by equivalent -shaped MSA but with 50% reduction
in patch area. The two slots also alter the directions of surface

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2014 International Conference on Circuits, Systems, Communication and Information Technology Applications (CSCITA)

is due to TM11 mode (1300 MHz), as one half wavelength

variations in currents are present along patch length and
width. Since W/L ratio is close to unity, the TM10 and TM01
mode frequencies of RMSA are closer that results in a single
peak in the resonance curve plot. The surface current
distribution at this peak shows one half wavelength variations
along patch length and width. The radiation pattern at TM11
mode is conical (i.e. maximum in the end-fire direction)
whereas that at TM10 and TM01 modes it is in the broadside
direction with orthogonal directions of principle planes.

currents at TM10 and TM11 modes and align them in the same
directions as that of the currents at TM01 mode. Thereby it
gives broadside radiation pattern over BW with no variations
in the direction of the principle planes. The proximity fed shaped MSA gives a gain of more than 7 dBi over the
complete BW with peak gain close to 9 dBi. In IE3D
simulations, first an infinite ground plane was used and hence
first the measurement was carried out using square ground
plane of side length 80 cm (2.670). Further antenna
characteristics were also simulated and measured using finite
square ground plane of side length 30 cm (0.90), which gives
similar response. The antenna radiation pattern was measured
in minimum reflection surroundings with required minimum
far field distance between reference antenna and antenna
under test, whereas the gain was measured using three
antenna method [18].
II. BROADBAND -SHAPED MSA
The reported -shaped MSA in 1000 MHz frequency band is
shown in Fig. 1(a, b) [16]. The MSA yields simulated and
measured BW of more than 500 MHz (> 45%) with a peak
gain very close to 10 dBi. Using the symmetry of -shaped
MSA across the feed point axis and using only half of the
configuration, a compact half -shaped MSA, or proximity
fed -shaped MSA is obtained as shown in Fig. 1(c). In these
configurations proximity feeding technique is used since it is
the simplest method for feeding the antennas on thicker
substrate. In -shaped patch, two slots are cut on the opposite
edges of the equivalent RMSA. To understand the functioning
of compact -shaped MSA and optimize it for broader BW,
its analysis is presented as discussed in the following section.
In the next section first an equivalent RMSA and rectangular
slot cut RMSA is studied.

Fig. 2 (a) Proximity fed RMSA, its (b) resonance curve plot, and its (c, d)
surface current distribution at dual frequencies,

First inside this RMSA, a rectangular slot of length lv and

width wv is cut as shown in Fig. 3(a). To optimize the
configuration, parametric study for variations in slot
dimensions is carried out. For slot length (lv) of 3.9 cm, patch
width (wv) is increased in steps of 2.0 cm and the resonance
curve plots for this variation are shown in Fig. 3(b). The
surface currents at TM10 mode are orthogonal to the slot
width, hence its frequency reduces. As slot length (lv) is
constant, the decrease in TM01 frequency with an increase in
wv, is negligible. Thus with an increase in wv, a separation
between TM10 and TM01 mode frequencies increases and a
separate peaks due to two modes is observed in the resonance
curve plot. The TM11 mode resonance frequency depends
upon both the patch dimensions and hence its frequency also
reduces. The surface current distributions at TM10 mode for
wv = 3.5 and 5.5 cm are shown in Fig. 3(c, d). With an
increase in slot width, more amounts of surface currents are

Fig. 1 (a) Top and (b) side views of proximity fed -shaped MSA [16] and
(c) proximity fed -shape MSA

III.

PROXIMITY FED RECTANGULAR SLOT CUT

RMSA

The proximity fed equivalent RMSA is shown in Fig. 2(a).

The RMSA dimensions are, L = 12 cm and W = 13 cm. The
RMSA is suspended in air of thickness 3.0 cm and coupling
strip is placed below the patch at substrate thickness of 2.8
cm. The RMSA is simulated and its resonance curve plot is
shown in Fig. 2(b). It shows two peaks and surface current
distribution at them is shown in Fig. 2(c, d). The second peak

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2014 International Conference on Circuits, Systems, Communication and Information Technology Applications (CSCITA)

re-oriented along the patch width. Thus the slot realizes

tuning of TM10 mode frequency with respect to TM01 mode
frequency and for wv = 10.7 cm, it realizes broadband
response with the formation of loop in the input impedance
locus inside VSWR = 2 circle as shown in Fig. 4(a).

Fig. 3 (a) Proximity fed rectangular slot cut RMSA, its (b) resonance curve
plots, (____) wv = 0.0 cm, (__ __) wv = 2.0 cm, (___ ___) wv = 4.0 cm, (___ _ _ ___) wv
= 6.0 cm, and its surface current distribution for (c) wv =3.5 cm (d) wv = 5.5
cm

The simulated BW is 246 MHz (27%) whereas the measured

BW is 232 MHz (25.3%). As the slot modifies surface current
directions at TM10 mode, radiation pattern over the BW is in
the broadside direction with E and H-planes aligned along
= 900 and 00, respectively, as shown in Figs. 4(b, c) and 5(a).
The antenna gain is more than 7 dBi over most of the BW as
shown in Fig. 5(b). As seen in Fig. 4(a), input impedance plot
shows the formation of second loop. This loop is due to the
next peak/mode in the resonance curve plot, i.e. due to
modified TM11 mode.

Fig. 4 (a) Input impedance plots (____) simulated, (__ __) measured, and (b, c)
radiation pattern plot for proximity fed rectangular slot cut RMSA

The current distribution at modified TM11 mode is shown in

Fig. 5(c). In single slot cut RMSA, at higher frequencies of
BW and at modified TM11 mode, surface currents are varying
along patch length and width. This horizontal component of
surface currents increases cross polarization levels and reduce
antenna gain for frequencies above 1000 MHz. Further

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2014 International Conference on Circuits, Systems, Communication and Information Technology Applications (CSCITA)

increase in the BW is realized by optimizing the loop due to

TM11 mode, inside the VSWR = 2 circle. To control the
modified TM11 mode frequency and further to alter the
surface currents directions, an additional slot is cut on the
edge of this single slot cut RMSA, which completes the shaped patch.

IV. PROXIMITY FED -SHAPED MSA

The proximity fed -shape MSA is shown in Fig. 6(a). The
slot length (l) is increased in steps of 2.0 cm and resonance
curve plot for the same is shown in Fig. 6(b, c). The slot
position does not largely affect TM10 and TM01 mode
frequencies but optimizes TM11 mode frequency.

Fig. 6 (a) Proximity fed -shaped MSA and its resonance curve plots for (b)
(____) l = 0.0 cm, (_ _ _) l = 2.0 cm, (___ ___) l = 4.0 cm, (___ _ ____) l = 6.0 cm, (c)
(____) l = 0.0 cm, (_ _ _) l = 8.0 cm, (___ _ ____) l = 10.0 cm

The increase in l, reduces effective patch dimensions, which

first increases TM11 mode frequency. However, for larger l,
the TM11 mode frequency reduces as the surface currents are
forced to travel along the slot length. With an increase in l,
TM01 mode frequency slightly increases, which is due to the
reduction in effective patch width. For l = 10.4 cm and w =
1.2 cm, both loops are optimized inside VSWR = 2 circle to
realize broader BW as shown in Fig. 7(a). The simulated BW
is 480 MHz (50%) whereas the measured BW is 490 MHz

Fig. 5 (a) Radiation pattern plot, (b) gain variation over BW and (c) surface
current distribution at modified TM11 mode for proximity fed rectangular slot
cut RMSA

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2014 International Conference on Circuits, Systems, Communication and Information Technology Applications (CSCITA)

proposed configuration yields 50% reduction in patch area

with nearly the same BW and gain values.

(51%). The fabricated prototype of -shaped MSA is shown

in Fig. 7(b).

Fig. 7 (a) Input impedance and VSWR plots, (____) simulated, (___
measured, and (b) fabricated prototype of proximity fed -shaped MSA

___

The radiation pattern and gain using finite ground plane of

side length 30 cm is shown in Fig. 8(a c). The pattern is in
the broadside direction with cross polarization levels less than
15 dB as compared to that of the co-polar levels. The backlobe radiation is less than 12 dB as compared to the front lobe
level. The antenna gain is more than 7 dBi over the BW with
a peak gain of 9 dBi as shown in Fig. 9. The increased overall
gain in -shaped MSA as compared to single slot cut RMSA
is attributed to increased amount of fringing fields from the
additional slotted area of the patch. As the modified TM11
mode is present towards higher frequencies of BW (i.e. above
1200 MHz), the cross-polarization level increases that reduces
the antenna gain.
V. CONCLUSIONS
A new proximity fed multi-resonant -shaped MSA, which is
derived from -shaped MSA, is proposed. The two
rectangular slots were cut on the opposite edges of RMSA to
realize -shaped MSA. The analysis to study the effects of
two slots to realize broadband response is presented. The slots
reduce TM10 and TM11 mode frequencies of the patch and
along with TM01 mode, yields broader BW. The simulated
and measured BW of nearly 500 MHz (> 45%) is obtained.
The proposed MSA gives broadside radiation pattern with
peak gain of 9 dBi. As compared to the -shaped MSA, the

Fig. 8 (a c) Radiation pattern over BW for proximity fed -shaped MSA

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2014 International Conference on Circuits, Systems, Communication and Information Technology Applications (CSCITA)

[16]
[17]
[18]

Fig. 9 Radiation pattern over BW for proximity fed -shaped MSA

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