2013 5th International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Communication Networks

Dual Band U-Slotted Microstrip Patch Antenna for C band and X band Radar
Applications
Sakshi Gupta

Sukhwinder Singh Dhillon

ECE Deptt,
Ambala College of Engineering
Ambala, Haryana,India
e-mail: sakshigupta177@yahoo.com

ECE Deptt,
Ambala College of Engineering
Ambala, Haryana,India
e-mail: sukhwinder2@ rediffmail.com

Preeti Khera

Anupama Marwaha
ECE Deptt,
SantLongowal Institute of Engg& Tech.
Sangrur, Punjab, India
e-mail: marwaha_anupma@yahoo.co.in

ECE Deptt,
Ambala College of Engineering
Ambala, Haryana,India
e-mail: kherapreeti33@gmail.com

Also, microstrip patch antennas have several disadvantages.

They have narrow bandwidth, low gain and low efficiency.
There are some methods to improve these parameters which
include adding shaped slots to the patch, defected ground
structure and fractal geometry. In this paper, four U- shaped
slots and one I-shaped slot is cut to the patch. Also, Hshaped slot is cut to the ground to improve the bandwidth.

AbstractA compact dual band microstrip patch antenna is

designed for C (4-8 GHz) band and X (8-12 GHz) band
applications. The proposed antenna consists of a rectangular
patch having four U-slots and one I-slot with H-shaped DGS
(Defected Ground Structure) . The antenna has overall size of
25mm by 23 mm and gives bandwidth of about 140 MHz
from 5.85 GHz to 6 GHz and of about 1.21 GHz from 7.87 to 9
GHz at resonating frequency of 5.9 GHz and 8.8 GHz
respectively with DGS. The antenna without DGS mainly
resonates at 6 GHz and 8.7 GHz. The antenna with DGS has
return losses -16.29dB at 5.9 GHz and -18.28 dB at 8.8 GHz,
gain 1.2 dBi for 5.9 GHz and 4.4 dBi for 8.8 GHz. This antenna
has been analyzed using IE3D electromagnetic solver.

II.

A compact and low profile microstrip patch antenna [1]

was presented for WLAN and WAVE (wireless access in
vehicular environment) applications. The antenna was fed
by coplanar waveguide and gives 10 dB impedence
bandwidth of 250 MHz at 2.44 GHz and about 22% from
5.13 to 6.38 suitable for WLAN and WAVE 5.9 GHz
applications. A dual frequency rectangular microstrip patch
antenna [2] had been proposed. The single layered antenna
had been designed to resonate in dual frequency mode and
achieved reduction in patch size up to 71%.The design was
obtained by cutting rectangular slots at two sides of the
patch. A wideband circularly polarized microstrip patch
antenna [3] was proposed. In this, square patch was
truncated in opposite corners. The impedence bandwidth
obtained was 32% at 1.375 GHz ranging from 1.15 GHz to
1.6 GHz. Rectangular and circular microstrip patch antennas
[4] was analyzed and a comparison was made between them
& it was concluded that circular microstrip patch antenna is
better than rectangular microstrip patch antenna. A survey
on the microstrip patch antenna & its applications[5] was
made and was concluded that microstrip antennas have their
applications in mobile and satellite communication, Global
positioning
system(GPS),
RFID(radio
frequency
identification), Wi-Max ,radar , telemedicine etc. A
rectangular microstrip patch antenna [6] with shifted
elliptical slot was obtained to improve the bandwidth and
gain of microstrip patch antenna. An increase in bandwidth
of 21% and gain 7.21 dBi had achieved as that of simple
rectangular microstrip patch antenna. A microstrip patch

Keywords- Dual Band; Microstrip Patch Antenna; H

shape; DGS

I. INTRODUCTION
Antennas are a very important component of
communication systems. By definition, antenna is a device
used to transform an RF signal, travelling on a conductor
into an electromagnetic wave in space. A Microstrip Patch
Antenna consists of a radiating patch on one side of the
dielectric substrate which has ground plane on the other
side. The patch is made of conducting material such as
copper or gold and can take any possible shape. The patch is
generally square, rectangular, circular and triangular or any
other shape. Microstrip Patch Antennas can be fed by a
variety of methods. The four most popular feed techniques
used are microstrip line, coaxial probe, aperture coupling
and proximity coupling. The proposed antenna is designed
using coaxial probe feed. The microstrip patch antennas
have more advantages when compared with the
conventional antennas .They are lighter, low volume, low
cost, smaller in dimension and easy to fabricate. Radar
demands a low profile, light weight antenna, the microstrip
antennas are an ideal choice. Other application areas of
microstrip patch antennas are wireless communication,
satellite communication, medical and military systems.

978-0-7695-5069-5/13 $26.00 2013 IEEE

DOI 10.1109/CICN.2013.18

LITERATURE Survey

41

with a vertical length of 4 mm, horizontal length of 6mm

and slot width of 0.5 mm. Two lower slots have been cut out
with a vertical length of 6 mm, horizontal length of 6 mm
and slot width of 0.5 mm on the patch. I-slot have been cut
with vertical length of 4mm ,horizontal length of 4mm and
slot width of 0.5 mm on the same patch.

antenna [7] for ultra wideband by C-shaped wide slot had

been proposed to achieve the widest bandwidth from 3GHz
to 12 GHz. A broadband printed microstrip patch antenna
[8] suitable for multifunctional wireless communication
bands was presented for Wi-Max applications. The
proposed antenna had 2:1 VSWR, bandwidth of 51% from
3.75 GHz to 6.33 GHz. A triangular microstrip patch
antenna [9,10] with V- slot was presented with impedence
bandwidth of 9.2% working in Wi-Max & wireless
communication system. The design technology was
achieved by embedding two narrow slots in V shape on
microstrip patch antenna and placing a single feed. A
wideband E- shaped microstrip patch antenna [11] had been
designed for high speed wireless local area network
covering the 5.15 to 5.825 GHz frequency band. Two
parallel slots were incorporated to perturb the surface
current path, introducing local inductive effect that is
responsible for excitation of second resonant mode.
III. ANTENNA DESIGN
In this paper, a rectangular patch with dimensions 25mm
by 23mm has been taken. Two equal sides are cut from the
patch having length 3mm and width 10.5mm. Five slots
including four U- slots and one I- slot has been introduced
to the patch.

Figure 1. Geometry of the proposed antenna for dual band operation

IV.

TABLE. I. ANTENNA DIMENSIONS

Parameter

Value

Length of patch

25 mm

Width of patch

23mm

Thickness of
Substrate

1.5 mm

Dielectric constant of substrate

4.4

Loss tangent
of substrate

0.02

Feed to Patch

Coaxial
Feed

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Figure 2 shows the simulated results of the proposed

antenna. The antenna has simulated using IE3D software.
Graph between Return losses and frequency is obtained. As
shown in figure2, the proposed antenna operates in two
bands. One band is at 6GHz and other is between 7.87-8.90
GHz. The antenna mainly resonates at 6 GHz and 8.7 GHz.
The return losses obtained are -25.78 dB at 6 GHz and -23.6
dB at 8.7 GHz frequency. Gain at the frequencies 6GHz and
8.7 GHz is 1.29 dBi and 2.76 dBi respectively.

Figure 2. Simulated return losses for the proposed antenna

Here FR4 has been used as substrate with dielectric

constant of 4.4 and loss tangent of 0.02. Coaxial feed has
been used and feed point is selected in such way that
impedance matching takes place. Figure 1 shows geometry
of the proposed antenna for dual band operation. First a
rectangle patch having the dimensions of 25 mm by 23 mm
is taken and two equal dimensional sides having the length
3mm and width 10.5 mm are cut in the patch. Then, four Uslots are cut in the patch. Two upper slots have been cut out

Figure 3 and 4 shows the radiation pattern with gain

values of the proposed antenna at resonate frequencies 6
GHz and 8.7 GHz are found to be 1.29 dBi and 2.7 dBi
respectively at corresponding resonant frequencies. In this
study, bandwidth values are obtained between the points
where -10 dB line cuts the curve between return loss and
frequency.

42

Figure 3.

Radiation pattern at 6 GHz

Figure 6.

Simulated return losses for the antenna with DGS

The radiation pattern of the antenna with DGS at

resonate frequency 5.9 GHz (marginally shifted from the
base frequency of 6 GHz) and 8.8 GHz (marginally shifted
from the base frequency of 8.7 GHz) is shown in figure 7
and 8. At 5.9 GHz, gain is 0.62 dBi and 4.4 dBi at 8.8 GHz.

Figure 4. Radiation pattern at 8.7 GHz

However the above results shows that the performance

of proposed antenna is good but if we use the defected
ground structure, results can be improved. When H-shaped
slot is cut in the ground and thickness of I-slot is increased,
bandwidth is improved. A band of 1.21 GHz is obtained
using DGS. Figure 5 shows the antenna geometry with Hshaped DGS. The antenna with defected ground is again
simulated using IE3D electromagnetic solver. Feed point is
again selected in such a way that impedance matching
occurs. A bandwidth of 1.21 GHz is obtained using defected
ground in the frequency band 8-9 GHz as shown in figure 6.

(a)

(b)

Figure 7.

Radiation pattern at 5.9 GHz with DGS

Figure 8.

Radiation pattern at 8.8 GHz with DGS

A comparison between the proposed antenna and the

antenna with defected ground is made. Figure 9 shows

Figure 5. (a),(b) Geometry of the antenna with H-shaped DGS

43

return loss Vs frequency graph. As shown in figure 9,

antennas without DGS and with H-shaped DGS are
compared and the later that is antenna with H-shaped DGS
has more bandwidth. The bandwidth obtained with DGS is
1.21 GHz in the frequency band 8-9 GHz. The results are
better in 8-9 GHz frequency band using DGS but return
losses are less. From comparison of the antenna with and
without DGS it is clear that more bandwidth is obtained
using defected ground. The antenna with DGS resonates at
5.9 GHz and 8.8 GHz. The gain at frequencies 5.9GHz, 8.8
GHz are respectively 1.2dBi and 4.4 dBi at 8.8 GHz and
finds its main applications in C band and X band radar
applications. Return losses are -16.29 dB for 5.9 GHz and 18.28 dB for 8.8 GHz resonating frequencies.
Figure 10.

VSWR Vs Frequency for without DGS

At resonance frequency VSWR must be less than 2 as

shown in figure 10. It is function of reflection coefficient
which describes power reflected from the antenna. Figure 11
shows Smith chart of antenna. It is most useful tool for high
frequency circuit applications. Smith chart is best method of
representing complex impedances with respect to
coordinates defined by reflection coefficient. This antenna
resonates at 5.9 GHz and 8.8 GHz with good bandwidth and
finds applications for defense and secure communication,

Figure 9.

Comparison of the proposed antenna without and with

DGS

A comparison table for the proposed antenna without

and with DGS is shown in the table 2.
TABLE. II.
Antenna
type
Without DGS

COMPARISON WITHOUT AND WITH DGS

Resonant
Frequency
(GHz)

Return
Loss
(dB)

Gain
(dBi)

-25.78

1.29

8.7

-23

2.76

5.9

-16.29

1.2

Band
width
(GHz)

Figure 11. Smith chart of Proposed Antenna for without DGS

1.03

With DGS

CONCLUSION
1.21

8.8

-18.28

4.4

From the previous section it is clear that by applying

shaped slots and defected ground structure, characteristics of
antenna improved a lot. Initially rectangular patch is taken and
two equal sides are cut. Then, five slots are cut in the patchtwo U-slots, two inverted U-slots and one I-slot. Further by
applying defected ground structure, bandwidth gets increased
from 1.03GHz to 1.21 GHz. Proposed antenna finds

Figure 10 shows graph between VSWR (Voltage

Standing Wave Ratio) Vs frequency for antenna without
DGS. VSWR describes how well antenna impedance
matched to transmission line to which antenna is connected.

44

application for C band and X band. In these bands antenna can

be used for RADAR applications. This antenna has a
bandwidth of 1.21 GHz between 7.87- 9 GHz band and 140
MHz between 5.85- 6 GHz.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank the supports of Ambala
College of Engineering for providing IE3D software
facility. They also extend their gratefulness to the reviewers
for their valuable comments.

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