Dual-band bent slot-loaded pin-fed

rectangular patch

Quick Summary
Quantity

Typical

Minimum

Maximum

Polarisation

Dual-linear

Radiation pattern

Single broadside lobe

Gain

6 dbi

Performance bandwidth

0.2 %

Complexity

Moderate

Impedance

50

Balun

None Required

Ratio between
operating frequency
bands

1.5

1.2

1.9

8 dbi

Background
Patch antennas are popular for their well-known attractive features, such as low profile, light weight and compatibility with MMICs. Their main
disadvantage is an intrinsic limitation in bandwidth, which is due to the resonant nature of the patch structure.

Antenna Magus 5.1.0: 2-2-2015, Content Copyright Magus Pty (Ltd)

4 dBi

Dual-band bent slot-loaded pin-fed rectangular patch

Modern communication systems (GPS, vehicular, WLAN, etc.), however, often require antennas with compactness and low-cost, thus rendering
planar technology useful and sometimes unavoidable.

Dual-frequency patch antennas provide an alternative to wideband planar antennas in applications where a wide bandwidth is used for operation at
two separate transmit-receive bands.

Dual-frequency operation is achieved by modifying the natural modes of a rectangular patch through slot-loading and feed placement.

The coupled-slot technique employed by this design can reduce the patch area by up to about 30%.

Physical Description
Microstrip antennas are simple and inexpensive to manufacture using modern printed circuit technology (etching), except at the lower frequencies,
where a pair of scissors, knife, some copper tape and a low relative permittivity substrate may be sufficient.

Feed Method
Pin-fed patches are usually fed from underneath the ground plane with a coaxial cable.

Operation Mechanism
A conventional rectangular patch has the feed situated along the centre of the patch width at a certain inset from the patch edge (point A in the
figure below). This mode of operation is the TM01 mode. By placing the feed along the centre of the patch length at a certain inset from the patch
edge, the TM10 mode is achieved (point B in the figure below). By combining the above mentioned into a single feed position, both modes of

Feed position for dual-frequency operation: point A for TM01 excitation only, point B for TM10 excitation only and point C for dualfrequency operation

The introduction of the slots achieves dual-band operation, where both upper and lower frequency bands are lower in frequency than the centre
frequency of the same sized patch used in single-band operation mode. This technique results in significant miniaturization with area reduction by
up to 32% reported [Wong and Yang].

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operation can be achieved (point C in the figure below).

Dual-band bent slot-loaded pin-fed rectangular patch

Performance
Impedance Characteristics
The two important resonant frequencies occur at the TM01 (lower frequency) and the TM10 mode (upper frequency). The frequency ratio between
the upper and lower frequencies is mainly controlled by the length to width ratio (aspect ratio) of the patch.

The x-axes of the figures below are normalised to the first resonant frequency (TM01 mode). The second resonant frequency (TM10 mode) occurs at
1.33.

Typical reflection coefficient versus frequency

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Typical input impedance versus frequency

Dual-band bent slot-loaded pin-fed rectangular patch

Radiation Characteristics
The patterns at the two relevant frequencies are similar in shape but rotated by 90 about the vertical axis with respect to one another. The
patterns are broad with a maximum direction normal to the plane of the antenna.

The figure below shows the radiation patterns of the first two resonant modes of operation (TM01 and TM10 mode respectively). Their 90 rotation is
evident, with both gain maxima in the direction of the vertical axis through the patch surface.

The polarisation of the models are linear but in the orthogonal planes since their E-planes are rotated by 90.

Typical normalised gain patterns at the lower and upper frequencies

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Typical total gain pattern at the lower (left) and upper (right) operating frequency

Dual-band bent slot-loaded pin-fed rectangular patch

Typical total on-axis gain versus frequency

References
J.S. Chen and K.L. Wong, A single-layer dual-frequency rectangular microstrip patch antenna using a single probe feed, Microwave Optical
Technology Letters, vol. 11, no. 2, 5 February 1996, pp. 83-84.

K.L. Wong and K.P. Yang, Compact dual-frequency microstrip antenna with a pair of bent slots, Electronic Letters, vol. 34, no. 3, 5 February 1998,
pp. 225-226.

Model Information (FEKO)

Model 1
An infinite ground plane model using the MoM solution.

Model Information (CST MICROWAVE STUDIO)

Model 1
PEC cylinder model using a coaxial waveguide feed and a finite ground plane

The antenna is fed with a waveguide port at the end of a short piece of 50ohm air-filled coaxial line. The port reference plane is de-embedded to
the top of the metal ground plane.

This model is to be solved using the Frequency domain solver.

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The infinite ground plane model should be used when simulation speed is more important than physical model accuracy

Dual-band bent slot-loaded pin-fed rectangular patch

Model Information (AWR DESIGN ENVIRONMENT)

Model 1
An infinite ground plane model.

The model uses an infinite dielectric substrate with an infinite perfect conducting ground plane.

Model Validation
The models were validated against measurements of a dual-frequency microstrip antenna with a pair of bent slots [Wong and Chen].

Each export model has been validated to give the expected results for several parameter variations in the design space.

Magus Analysis
The internal performance estimation is expected to be similar to a full 3D-EM analysis. The effects of finite ground planes are not considered, and
results may therefore differ for electrically small ground planes. Expect:

- Small frequency offsets (-5% to +5%)

- Possibly inaccurate reflection coefficients below -15 dB

Design Guidelines
The input impedance of this patch design is extremely sensitive to the feed position. It may, therefore, be necessary to optimise the exact position

performance:

- To increase (decrease) the lower resonant frequency, decrease (increase) the patch length.
- To increase (decrease) the upper resonant frequency, decrease (increase) the patch width.
- The operating bands can be increased (decreased) by decreasing (increasing) the slot length.
- To increase bandwidth, increase the substrate height and/or decrease the substrate permittivity (this will also affect resonant frequency and the
impedance).
- To increase (decrease) the input impedance at the lower frequency, decrease (increase) pin inset 2.
- To increase (decrease) the input impedance at the upper frequency, decrease (increase) pin inset 1.

Note: Antennas on very thin substrates have high copper-losses, while thicker and higher permittivity substrates may lead to performance
degradation due to surface waves. The effect of surface waves and substrate size are described in the Magus article: Planar antennas and surface
waves.

Antenna Magus 5.1.0: 2-2-2015, Content Copyright Magus Pty (Ltd)

of the feed, in order to achieve a specific desired impedance value. Below are some general guidelines which may help in achieving the desired

Antenna Magus 5.1.0: 2-2-2015, Content Copyright Magus Pty (Ltd)

Dual-band bent slot-loaded pin-fed rectangular patch

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