VOL. 2, NO.

12, December 2011 ISSN 2079-8407

Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2011 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.

 
http://www.cisjournal.org 

Phased Array Antenna for Millimeter Wave Radar in W-band

using Liquid Crystal Substrate
I.Govardhani1 , K.Rajkamal2, M.Venkata Narayana3, S.Venkateswarlu4
1
.Associate Professor, Department of ECE, K L University.
2
M.Tech student, Department of ECE, K L University.
3
Associate Professor, Head of the Department of SED-1(ECE), K L University.
4
Prof and Head of the Department of CSE, Associate Dean Planning and Development.

Corresponding Author: govardhanee@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
This paper mainly deals with simulation and fabrication of liquid crystal phased array. The final design comprises of a 8×8
array, which is able to scan in one plane. Liquid crystal polymers play a major role in present research areas, which
provides very reliable high performance circuits at low cost. These are flexible, recyclable and are stable up to its high
melting temperature making an ideal choice for circuits operating all kinds of environments. As it is phased array antenna,
it combines number of radiation patterns and so it reinforces the radiation pattern in a desired direction and suppresses in
undesired direction. This antenna is a narrow band antenna and specifically designed to work for a particular frequency.
The antenna is simulated using HFSS software for measuring directivity, high gain and scattering coefficients.
Keywords: Micro strip, liquid crystal, phased array

1. INTRODUCTION 3. PATCH MODEL

Micro strip patch antenna consists of a radiating
patch on one side of a dielectric substrate, which has a
ground plane on the other side. A Micro strip patch
antenna/patch antenna is a narrowband, wide-beam
antenna fabricated by etching the antenna element pattern
in metal trace bonded to an insulating dielectric substrate
with a continuous metal layer bonded to the opposite side
of the substrate which forms a ground plane.

Fig. 1: 8x8 patch model.

2. LIQUID CRYSTAL SUBSTRATE
Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) is a fairly new and 4. ANTENNA DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
promising thermoplastic organic material. It can be used as
A 8X8 rectangular patch array antenna with
a low- cost dielectric material for high-volume large-area
liquid crystal substrate has been designed and simulated at
processing methods that provide very reliable high-
99.0955GHz frequency in this paper. We have taken liquid
performance circuits at low cost. It has impressive
crystal dielectric constant (Єr) as 3 and loss tangent (δ) as
electrical characteristics, which is indirectly related to its
0.003. If ‘L’ is the resonant length of patch, normally
low and stable water absorption rate (<0.04%). It has a
width (W) should be larger than L so that large bandwidth
nearly constant dielectric constant of 3 over the entire RF
can be obtained. Here we have taken width (W) as 1.5
range up to 110 GHz. In addition, LCP has a very low loss
times of length (L). Height of the dielectric substrate
tangent of only 0.002, which increases to only 0.0045 at
should be in between 0.003 λ0 and 0.05λ0. We have taken
110GHz, thereby making LCP very suitable in designing
0.02 times of λ0. As 50Ω coaxial cables are used normally,
mm-wave applications. LCP is flexible, recyclable,
feed point is taken where 50Ω resistance occurs.
impervious to most chemicals, and it is stable up to its
high melting temperature making LCP an ideal choice for
circuits operating in all kinds of environments.
 
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                                              VOL. 2, NO. 12, December 2011 ISSN 2079-8407
Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2011 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.

 
http://www.cisjournal.org 
Ansoft Corporation Return Loss Patch_Antenna_ADKv1
5. ANTENNA MODEL 0.00 Curve Info
dB(St(1,1))
Setup1 : Sw eep1
-5.00

-10.00

-15.00

d B ( S t( 1 ,1 ) )
-20.00

-25.00

-30.00

-35.00

Fig. 2: Antenna model.

40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00 90.00 100.00 110.00 120.00
Freq [GHz]

6. HFSS Fig.3: Return loss.

HFSS means High Frequency Structure Simulator. A return loss of -30.3952dB is obtained at 99.0955GHz

HFSS is a high performance full wave electromagnetic 7.2. Gain: The ratio of the intensity, in a given direction,
(EM) field simulator for arbitrary 3D volumetric passive to the radiation intensity that would be obtained if the
device modelling that takes advantage of the familiar power accepted by the antenna were radiated isotropically.
Microsoft Windows graphical user interface. It integrates 7.2.1:2-D Gain:
simulation, visualization, solid modelling, and automation
in an easy to learn environment where solutions to your Ansoft
NameCorporation
X
10.00
m1 0.0000
Y
6.7520
ff_2D_GainTotal Patch_Antenna_ADKv1

Curve Info
m2 12.0000 7.0749 m1 m 2 dB(GainTotal)

3D EM problems are quickly and accurate obtained. 5.00 Setup1 : LastAdaptive

dB(GainTotal)_1
Setup1 : LastAdaptive
-0.00

Ansoft HFSS employs the Finite Element Method (FEM), -5.00

adaptive meshing, and brilliant graphics to give you -10.00

Y1

-15.00

unparalleled performance and insight to all of your 3D EM -20.00

problems. Ansoft HFSS can be used to calculate -25.00

-30.00

parameters such as S-Parameters, Resonant Frequency, -35.00

-200.00 -150.00 -100.00 -50.00 0.00 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00
Theta [deg]

and Fields.3
Fig. 4: 2-D Gain.

7. Simulation and Analysis 7.2.2:3- D Gain:

The designed antenna is simulated using HFSS

software. The results obtained are mentioned below

7.1.Return loss:

It is a measure of the reflected energy from a

transmitted signal. It is commonly expressed in positive
dB's. The larger the value, the less energy that is reflected.

Fig. 4: 3-D Gain.

For the antenna model a 2D Gain of 7.0749dB and a 3D
Gain of 9.6977dB is obtained.

 
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                                              VOL. 2, NO. 12, December 2011 ISSN 2079-8407
Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2011 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.

 
http://www.cisjournal.org 
7.3E-field pattern: 7.5.1: Radiation pattern of Gain total:

An electric field can be visualized by drawing Radiation Pattern 3

Ansoft Corporation Patch_Antenna_ADKv1

0 Curve Info

field lines, which indicate both magnitude and direction of

dB(GainTotal)
-30 30
Setup1 : LastAdaptive
0.00
Phi='0deg'
dB(GainTotal)

the field. Field lines start on positive charge and end on -60
-10.00

-20.00
60
Setup1 : LastAdaptive
Phi='90deg'

negative charge. The direction of the field line at a point is -30.00

the direction of the field at that point. The relative -90 90

magnitude of the electric field is proportional to the

density of the field lines. -120 120

-150 150

-180

Fig. 7: Radiation pattern of Gain total

7.5.2: Radiation pattern of Gain in Theta direction:

Ansoft Corporation Radiation Pattern 4 Patch_Antenna_ADKv1

0 Curve Info
dB(GainTheta)
-30 30
Setup1 : LastAdaptive
-4.00 Phi='0deg'
dB(GainTheta)
-18.00 Setup1 : LastAdaptive
-60 60 Phi='90deg'
-32.00

-46.00

Fig. 5: E-field pattern. -90 90

7.4. H-field Pattern :

-120 120

In the case of the same linearly polarized antenna,

-150 150
this is the plane containing the magnetic field vector and -180

the direction of maximum radiation. The magnetic field or

"H" plane lies at a right angle to the "E" plane. For a Fig. 8: Radiation pattern of Gain in Theta direction.
vertically-polarized antenna, the H-plane usually coincides
with the horizontal/azimuth plane. For a horizontally-
polarized antenna, the H-plane usually coincides with the
7.5.3:Radiation pattern of Gain in Phi direction
vertical/elevation plane.
Ansoft Corporation Radiation Pattern 2 Patch_Antenna_ADKv1

0 Curve Info
dB(GainPhi)
-30 30
Setup1 : LastAdaptive
-4.00 Phi='0deg'
dB(GainPhi)
-18.00 Setup1 : LastAdaptive
-60 60 Phi='90deg'
-32.00

-46.00

-90 90

-120 120

-150 150

-180

Fig. 9: Radiation pattern of Gain in Phi direction.

Fig. 6: H-field pattern.

7.5. Radiation Pattern: The radiation pattern or antenna

pattern describes the relative strength of the radiated field
in various directions from the antenna, at a constant
distance.

 
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                                              VOL. 2, NO. 12, December 2011 ISSN 2079-8407
Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences
©2009-2011 CIS Journal. All rights reserved.

 
http://www.cisjournal.org 
7.6. Axial Ratio: [5] M A Matin, M.P Saha, H. M. Hasan “Design of
Ansoft Corporation Radiation Pattern 5 Patch_Antenna_ADKv1 Broadband Patch Antenna for WiMAX and WLAN”
0 Curve Info

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56.00
30
dB(AxialRatioValue)
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