Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction
Over the next five years, data traffic is expected to expand sevenfold due to an
increase in mobile users, smartphones, and internet of things connections, and network
speed increases and cellular video consumption. The bandwidth-hungry video, which
makes up 78 percent of mobile traffic, will place an even greater burden on mobile
networks [1]. Due to these challenges and the ultra-high transmission rate (peak data
of 10 Gbps), the low latency (on a millisecond), extremely high traffic density
(106/km2), and super high mobility (500 km/h), the 5G mobile communication system
will be deployed in the future, employing terahertz frequencies [2]. The new 5G radio
access networks are expected to support numbers of connections simultaneously while
operating across a wide range of frequencies [3]. In order to enable 5G, FCC divided
the key range into a low band (up to 1 GHz), mid band of 3.5 GHz (under 6) and high
band (mmWave) [4]. The mmWave offers high-capacity data rates of more than two
gigabits per second while the low band covers the 5G and medium bands well. To
reach the goal of ultra-fast data rates, it is clear that the 5G mmWave spectrum should
be used. However, significant obstacles must be overcome before mmWave mobile
communications are implemented. Before the completion of mmWave technology for
5G communication, sub-6 GHz will emerge as the 5G technology in the near future
[5]. High data speeds may be transferred over a wide range of distances using sub-6
GHz 5G transmission. It can be used in urban and rural areas [6]. In sub-6 GHz,
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has allocated
frequency ranges of 3.3–3.8 GHz as the priority spectrum for 5G deployment [7].

Recently, some standard electromagnetic simulation techniques have been proposed

for antenna engineering enhancements, such as those for highly reflective index,
metal-dielectric metal (MDM), surface plasmon resonance absorber, double plasmon-
induced transparencies in aperture-coupled metal-dielectric-metal (MDM), and highly
sensitive refractive index based on metamaterial.

Many efforts have been made to improve the antenna design performance for 5G
applications. Researchers aim to design an antenna with a compact size, low cost, and
high performance. Thus, this antenna could be applied for indoor and outdoor base
 stations. To improve the radiation of the antenna design, different design techniques
have been applied. In [8], a hybrid-mode antenna was presented for sub-6 GHz
communication.
1.2 Problem Statement
The interest for remote versatile correspondences administrations is developing at a
touchy rate, with the expectation that correspondence to a cell phone any place on the
globe consistently will be accessible sooner rather than later. The investigation of
microstrip patch antennas has gained extraordinary ground as of late. Contrasted and
customary antennas, microstrip patch antennas have more points of interest and better
possibilities. They are lighter in weight, low volume, minimal effort, low profile, littler
in measurement and simplicity of manufacture and congruity. Additionally, the
microstrip patch antennas can give double and roundabout polarizations, double
recurrence activity, recurrence dexterity, wide band-width, feedline adaptability, bar
filtering omnidirectional designing. In numerous remote correspondence frameworks
it is important to structure antennas with order qualities (high gains) to fulfill the needs
of long separation correspondence that may not be attainable by a solitary component
antenna.

1.3 Project Description and Proposed Solution

In this project, we propose a microstrip millimeter-wave (MMW) array antenna with a
defected ground structure (DGS) for the applications of fifth generation (5G) wireless
networks. The proposed antenna, should has small dimensions with higher gain, can be
used for licensed 5G applications in many countries. The proposed model has a single
element design, and for gain and efficiency enhancement, a two-element array has been
designed. Both single and two element models resonate at a frequency of 39.96 GHz.
Using a commercial electromagnetic simulator (CST-Studio), the model was designed and
optimized with the goal of achieving a return loss rate of less than −10 dB.

1.4 Benefits
The most notable benefit of microstrip antennas is their versatility. Firstly, they are
small and lightweight, as well as easily conformable to planar and nonplanar surfaces.
Additionally, they can be are mechanically robust when mounted onto rigid surfaces.
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION
Microstrip antennas, also known as patch antennas, are a type of printed antenna that
operates at microwave frequencies. They are widely used in various applications,
including wireless communication systems, satellite communication, radar systems,
and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) devices. Microstrip antennas offer several
advantages, such as low profile, lightweight, ease of fabrication, and cost-
effectiveness.

As electronic devices continue to shrink in size, the antenna designer is pushed to

reduce the antenna size as well. Cavity antennas use valuable internal volume, but we
have the conflict that restricting the volume limits impedance bandwidth. Bandwidths
widen with increased circuit losses (material losses) or by efficient use of the restricted
volume. Bounds on bandwidth can be found by enclosing the antenna in a sphere and
expanding the fields into TE and TM spherical modes [8-9]. Each mode radiates, but it
requires more and more stored energy as the mode number increases. Decreasing the
volume increases the Q value of each mode and a sum, weighted by the energy in each
mode, determines the overall Q value. Antennas that use the spherical volume
efficiently and reduce power in the higher-order modes have the greatest bandwidths.
A single lowest-order mode puts an upper bound on bandwidth, given the size of the
enclosing sphere. Greater volumes have potential for greater bandwidth provided that
the energy in higher-order spherical modes is restricted. Increasing material losses or
adding small resistors increases bandwidth beyond the single-mode bound [9]. We
discover that increasing the volume of flush antennas increases the impedance
bandwidth provided that the radiation mode on the structure can be maintained.
Thicker substrates develop greater bandwidths, but they increase the possibility of
higher-order-mode excitation and surface-wave losses. Losses limit the lower bound
of bandwidth as we reduce the thickness because efficiency degrades to a point where
the bandwidth remains constant. Microstrip consists of a metal strip on a dielectric
substrate covered by a ground plane on the other side. Unlike stripline, the single
ground plane shields the circuit on only one side, but normal packaged microstrip
within a receiver, for example has a second shielding ground plane to reduce circuit
 interactions. The dielectric substrate retains most of the power because the shielding
ground plane is spaced a few substrate thicknesses away. Removing the shield in
antenna applications allows radiation from resonant cavities. We also discover feeding
circuits etched on the substrate radiate to some extent, but their radiation is
comparatively small.

2.2 WORKING PRINCILE OF MICROSTRIP ANTENNAS

A microstrip antenna consists of a metallic patch (usually made of copper) printed on
one side of a dielectric substrate, and the ground plane on the opposite side. The patch
and ground plane are separated by the dielectric material, typically a low-loss substrate
like FR-4, Rogers, or ceramic. The shape and size of the patch, as well as the distance
between the patch and the ground plane, determine the antenna's operating frequency
and performance.

The operation of a microstrip antenna relies on the interaction between the electric and
magnetic fields generated by the patch and the ground plane. When the antenna is
excited by a radio frequency (RF) signal, electromagnetic waves are generated,
propagating away from the antenna. The patch acts as a radiating element, and the
ground plane provides a reference point for the radiation.

Microstrip antennas can operate in different modes, including the resonant mode and
the non-resonant mode. In the resonant mode, the antenna resonates at a specific
frequency, determined by the dimensions of the patch and the substrate properties. In
the non-resonant mode, the antenna operates over a broader frequency range, making
it suitable for wideband applications.

2.2.1 Types of Microstrip Antennas

 Rectangular Microstrip Antenna: This is the most basic and commonly used
microstrip antenna shape. It consists of a rectangular patch with a ground plane
beneath it.
 Figure 2.1: Rectangular Patch Antennas Design. [10]

Rectangular patch antennas can be designed by using a transmission-line model [11]

suitable for moderate bandwidth antennas. Patches with bandwidths of less than 1% or
greater than 4% require a cavity analysis for accurate results, but the transmissionline
model covers most designs. The lowest-order mode, TM10, resonates when the
effective length across the patch is a half-wavelength. Figure 2.1 demonstrates the
patch fed below from a coax along the resonant length. Radiation occurs from the
fringing fields. These fields extend the effective open circuit (magnetic wall) beyond
the edge. The extension is given by [12]

where H is the substrate thickness, W the patch nonresonant width, and εeff the
effective dielectric constant of a microstrip transmission line the same width as the
patch. A suitable approximation for εeff is given by [13]

where εr is the substrate dielectric constant. The transmission-line model represents

the patch as a low-impedance microstrip line whose width determines the impedance
and effective dielectric constant. A combination of parallel-plate radiation
conductance and capacitive susceptance loads both radiating edges of the patch.
Harrington [14] gives the radiation conductance for a parallel-plate radiator as:
 where λ0 is the free-space wavelength. The capacitive susceptance relates to the
effective strip extension:

 Circular Microstrip Antenna: Circular microstrip antennas have a circular-

shaped patch and are often used in applications where circular polarization is
required.

Figure 2.2: Structure of the proposed circular patch antenna (a) top view (b) bottom view. [15]

The cutoff frequencies of TE modes of circular waveguides give the resonant

frequencies of circular patch antennas. The patch with its magnetic walls and TM
modes is the dual of the waveguide. The resonant frequencies are given by:

where X’np are the zeros of the derivative of the Bessel function Jn(x) of order n, as is
true of TE-mode circular waveguides. The term aeff is an effective radius of the patch
[16]:
where a is the physical radius and H is the substrate thickness. Using the effective
radius gives the resonant frequency within 2.5%.

We combine previous equations to determine radius to give a particular resonant

frequency:

Since a and aeff are nearly the same, we can iterate to compute a, the physical radius
[17]:

We start by using aeff for a, which converges rapidly. The lowest-order mode, TM 11,
uses X’11 (1.84118) and produces a linearly polarized field similar to a square patch.
The TM01 mode (X’01 = 3.83171) produces a monopole-type pattern from a uniform
edge fringing field.

 Patch Array: Multiple microstrip patches can be arranged in an array to

enhance the antenna's gain and directivity. Patch arrays are used in high-
performance communication systems and radar applications. Figure 2.3 (a)
shows an exploded view of the proposed 2 × 2 patch array. The overall
geometry of the proposed array is composed of three substrates. The upper
layer is designed on Rogers 5880 dielectric substrate with a thickness of
1.6 mm for the radiating microstrip patches. The middle and lower layers are
made of Rogers 4003 dielectric substrates with thickness 0.8 mm to constitute
the feeding network. Figure 2.3 (b) illustrates the side view of the 2 × 2 array.
 Figure 2.3: Proposed 2 × 2 patch array [18]

 Dual-Frequency Microstrip Antenna: These antennas are designed to

operate at two distinct frequencies, making them suitable for multi-band
communication systems.

Figure 2.4. Configuration of the proposed antenna structures. (a) Meandered fork-shaped
antenna (MFA). (b) Spiral fork-shaped antenna (SFA), and (c) Double spiral fork-shaped
antenna (DSFA).[19]

 Wideband Microstrip Antenna: Wideband microstrip antennas are designed

to operate over a broad frequency range and are used in applications where
frequency agility is essential.
 (a) (b)

Figure 2.5: (a) Top view of wideband patch antenna, (b) Bottom view of wideband patch
antenna : [20]

Microstrip antennas are versatile and can be customized for specific frequency bands
and applications. Their compact size and ease of integration make them popular
choices in modern wireless communication systems. Researchers continue to explore
advanced designs and materials to enhance the performance and capabilities of
microstrip antennas further.
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