Abstrakt - In this paper, patch antenna configurations are

analyzed by using the TLM method in a cylindrical grid. In

order to investigate possibilities of the method for modeling of
patch antennas with excitation in the form of wire conductor
loaded in the substrate obtained results are compared with
corresponding results reached by the rectangular grid based
TLM method as well as with measured results.
Keywords - TLM method, TLM wire node, circular microstrip
antenna, cavity-backed inverted microstrip antenna
I. INTRODUCTION
Microstrip patch antennas are attractive for their well-
known efficient features such as compatibility with
monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC), light
weight, less fragile, low profile, low cost, mass production,
dual-frequency operation possibilities etc. The main
disadvantage associated with microstrip patch antennas is the
narrow bandwidth, which is due to the resonant characteristics
of the patch structure. But on the other hand modern
communication systems, such as those for wireless local area
networks (WLAN), as well as emerging applications such as
satellite links (vehicular, GPS, etc.) often require antennas
with low cost and compactness, thus requiring planar
technology. Microstrip antennas have profound applications
especially in the field of medical, military, mobile and
satellite communications. Because of these applications of the
microstrip patch antenna, a new motivation is evolved for
further research and development of the patch antennas [1, 2].
Microstrip antennas basically consist of a radiating patch on
one side of a dielectric substrate, which has a ground plane on
the other side. The patch is generally made of conducting
material such as copper and gold, it is very thin (t<<o where
o is free space wavelength) and is placed a small fraction of a
wavelength (h<< o usually 0.003 o h 0.05 o ) above the
ground plane. Microstrip patch antennas radiate primarily
because of the fringing fields between the patch edge and the
ground plane. The radiation increases with frequency, thicker
substrates, lower permittivity, and originates mostly at
discontinuities. Since microstrip antennas are often integrated
with other microwave circuitry, a compromise has to be
reached between good antenna performance and circuit
design. For an electrically thick substrate patch antenna,
coaxial feed is typically used. The radiating patch may be

Jugoslav Jokovi Elektronski fakultet, Univerzitet u Niu, Aleksandra
Medvedeva 14, 18000 Ni, Srbija (e-mail: jugoslav.jokovic@elfak.ni.ac.rs).
Tijana Dimitrijevi Elektronski fakultet, Univerzitet u Niu, Aleksandra
Medvedeva 14, 18000 Ni, Srbija (e-mail: tijana.dimitrijevic@elfak.ni.ac.rs).
Neboja Donov Elektronski fakultet, Univerzitet u Niu, Aleksandra
Medvedeva 14, 18000 Ni, Srbija (e-mail: nebojsa.doncov@elfak.ni.ac.rs).
square, rectangle, thin strip (dipole), circular, elliptical,
triangle or any other configuration. While the rectangular
patch antenna is perhaps the most commonly implemented
microstrip antenna, the circular patch antenna can offer
pattern options that are generally much more flexible in a
single element [1, 2, 3].
TLM (Transmission Line Modelling) method is a general,
electromagnetically based numerical method that has been
applied successfully to the wide range of microwave
structures [4]. Since a microstrip antenna presents an open
radiating structure it is necessary to extend the model meaning
that the space should be modeled all around the antenna, with
external boundaries presented as absorbing walls. Besides,
simulation of microstrip antennas demands adequate modeling
of a substrate due to achieving the time synchronization in the
scattering process. This can be solved by applying the mesh of
higher resolution to the medium containing a dielectric, which
is dependent on the relative dielectric constant. Further, the
radiating patch and the ground plane are modeled as internal
metallic boundaries representing electric walls. If a circular
antenna model is being presented in a rectangular TLM grid,
curved internal and external boundaries would have to be
described approximately (in a step-wise fashion). This would
demand applying the rectangular TLM mesh of higher
resolution in order to obtain correct results. As consequence,
duration of a simulation is increased, requiring more computer
resources. Also, dimension of TLM nodes is related to the
wire model implementation that assumes an optimal ratio
between a wire radius dimension and dimension of nodes
through which the wire propagates. As a result, maximum
probe radius that could be modelled is limited. Thus, it is
more convenient to use the TLM method developed in a
cylindrical grid, since it enables precise modeling of
boundaries independently of the mesh resolution that can be
defined according to the probe radius. The recent
enhancement of the TLM method in form of the compact
model for wire structures [5], has yielded all the deficiencies
of an impulse excitation to be avoided. The model allows for
accurate modelling of wires with a smaller diameter than the
TLM node size. It uses a special wire network embedded
between nodes to model signal propagation along the wires,
while allowing for interaction with the electromagnetic field.
Based on the compact TLM wire model embedded in the
cylindrical model the noncommercial code 3DTLMcyl_cw has
been written [6].
The goal of this paper is to investigate possibilities and
effectiveness of the cylindrical TLM method for modelling of
up-to-date microstrip antennas with circular geometry that
Modelling of Coax-fed Microstrip Circular
Antenna Using TLM Method
Jugoslav Jokovi, Tijana Dimitrijevi, Neboja Donov, Members, IEEE
Zbornik 57. konferencije ETRAN, Zlatibor, 3-6. juna 2013, str. MT1.5.1-4
Proceedings of 57th ETRAN Conference, Zlatibor, Serbia, June 3-6, 2013, pp. MT1.5.1-4

have significant application in modern wireless
communication systems. Using the TLM wire node it is
possible to model coaxial feed and include the influence of the
real excitation in the antenna model. The configuration of a
probe-fed circular patch antenna is considered, comparing the
results of resonances obtained using TLM cylindrical model
with those reached by the corresponding model in a
rectangular grid as well as with experimental ones. In
addition, since the cavity backing gives the antenna a
compact, miniature and rigid shape along with the purity of
radiation spectrum, the cavity backed inverted microstrip
circular patch (IMCP) has been investigated using the TLM
method and results are compared with measurements.
II. TLM METHOD
The TLM method is a time-domain numerical method for
solving field problems using circuit equivalents. The method
is based on the equivalence between Maxwells equations and
the equations for voltages and current on a mesh of
transmission lines, the latter representing the propagation
space.
In the conventional TLM time-domain method, the EM
field strength in three dimensions, for a specified mode of
oscillation in a metallic cavity, is modelled by filling the field
space with a network of link lines and exciting a particular
field component through incident voltage pulses on
appropriate lines. An efficient computational algorithm of
scattering properties, based on enforcing continuity of the
electric and magnetic fields and conservation of charge and
magnetic flux, is implemented to speed up the simulation
process. EM properties of different mediums in the cavity are
modelled by using a network of interconnected nodes, a
typical structure known as the symmetrical condensed node
SCN. To operate at a higher time-step, a hybrid symmetrical
condensed node (HSCN) is used. Each node describes a
portion of the medium shaped like a cubic (Cartesian
rectangular mesh) or a slice (Non-Cartesian cylindrical mesh)
depending on the coordinate system applied. Additional stubs
may be incorporated into the TLM network to account for
inhomogeneous materials and/or electric and magnetic losses
[4].
When cylindrical structures are concerned, a non-Cartesian
cylindrical mesh in the coordinate system (, r, z) can be used
for the modelling purpose. The coordinate system used and
the port designations are shown in Fig. 3. Simulation proceeds
exactly as for a SCN with stubs in a Cartesian grid. The only
modification involves the calculation of stub parameters
where account must be taken of the details of the new
geometry.
Since the considered cylindrical model is based on the
HSCN node type I, characteristic admittances of link lines are
calculated as:

j i
k t c
Y Y Y
rk
ji ij
A A
A A
= =

2
0
, (1)
and characteristic admittances of open stubs are as follows:

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
A
A
+
A
A
A
A

A A
A A
=
i
j
j
i
k
t c
k t c
j i
Y Y
rj ri
rk
ok

c 4 2
0
, (2)
where (i, j, k) = (r, r, z).


Fig. 1. Cylindrical SCN

When modelling of cavities containing lossy loads is
concerned, implementation of losses in the TLM model is
carried out by introduction of stubs with losses in the nodes
where scattering is going on. Stubs with losses may be
considered as infinitely long transmission lines, or
equivalently, as lines terminated with theirs characteristic
impedance. They can be used to model either electric or
magnetic losses. In case of the symmetrical condensed node,
stubs with losses are directly implemented in the scattering
procedure, including coupling with the corresponding EM
field component. After defining a loss tangent at the
appropriate frequency, corresponding equations for reflected
total voltages and currents in corresponding direction have to
be modified in case of modelling of mediums with losses [7].
For the purpose of modelling of real microwave devices
involving presence and coupling of wire elements, the
compact wire TLM model has been developed. Signal
propagation along the wire and interaction with EM field is
simulated through the wire network formed of additional link
and stub lines interposed over the existing network to account
for increase of capacitance and inductance of the medium
caused by the wire presence. In order to achieve consistency
with the rest of the TLM model, it is most suitable to form
wire networks by using TLM link and stub lines (Fig. 2) with
characteristic impedances, denoted as Z
wi
and Z
wsi
,
respectively for wire segment along i direction. An interface
between the wire network and the rest of TLM network must
be devised to simulate coupling between the electromagnetic
field and the wire.

Fig. 2. Wire network for wire segment along i direction

The single column of TLM nodes, through which a wire
conductor passes, can be used to approximately form the
fictitious cylinder which represents capacitance and
inductance of a wire per unit length. An equivalent radius of
the fictive cylindre in a cylindrical grid for calculating the
capacitance and inductance,
Cz
r and
Lz
r , respectively, for a
wire segment running along z direction are
c Cz Cz
z k r A = and
c Lz Lz
z k r A = , where Az
c
represents a mean dimension of the
node cross-section in z direction
(
( )
2 /
2
1
|
.
|

\
|
A + A
+
= A
+
r
r r
z
i i
c
, where
Cz
r and
Lz
r are
factors empirically obtained by using known characteristics of
the TLM network.
Distributed capacitance and inductance per unit length,
needed for modelling of wire segments, may be expressed as:

( )
w Cz
wz
r r
C
/ ln
2tc
= , ( )
w Lz wz
r r L / ln
2t

= (3)
where r
w
is a real probe radius.
III. NUMERICAL RESULTS
The patch antenna configurations are analyzed using
3DTLMcyl_cw software in order to investigate possibilities of
the TLM method for modelling of patch antennas with
excitation in the form of wire conductor loaded in the
substrate. Accurate prediction of S
11
parameter of a coax-fed
circular patch antenna is very important for the attempts to
improve the antenna performance.
First, an example of an application of the cylindrical TLM
method enhanced with the compact wire model to the analysis
of a circular microstrip antenna is presented. A circular-
shaped antenna is built on a substrate with relative dielectric
constant
r
= 2.32, loss tangent tan = 0.001 and with the
thickness h = 1.59 mm. The radius of the circular patch is a =
50 mm. As an excitation, wire conductor loaded in the
substrate with diameter d
0
= 1.27 mm is used. Due to
achieving the time synchronization in the scattering process, a
substrate is modeled by the network of nodes that are
r
c times greater than nodes in the rest of the cavity filled
with air. The example of the antenna, shown in Fig. 3, is taken
from [8].


Fig. 3. Circular coax-fed patch antenna

Numerical results representing reflection characteristics
have been obtained through simulations carried out using both
rectangular and cylindrical grid based TLM method.
Corresponding results are presented in Fig. 4. As can be seen
a good agreement has been achieved. The resonant frequency
also follows the measured value (f
r
=1.13 MHz) from [8].
Besides, when a cylindrical mesh is used for modelling some
parasite resonances emerge, as a result of ring effect due to
modeling of a central node (r=0) as a magnetic wall.


Fig. 4. Simulated resonant frequencies of circular patch antenna

Another antenna model to which the TLM method has been
applied is a cavity-backed inverted microstrip circular patch
(IMCP) antenna [9]. The antenna layout is presented in Fig. 5.
The relative dielectric constant of a substrate is
r
= 2.3, radius
r = 30mm, whereas heights of the areas filled with air and
substrate are h
1
= 1.43mm and h
2
= 1.57mm, respectively.
Simulations using both cylindrical and rectangular TLM
method have been conducted for different radiated patch
radius ranging a = [1525] mm, in order to investigate how
the patch radius influences resonant frequencies of the IMCP
antenna. Values of simulated resonant frequencies are
compared with measured ones in Table I, and satisfying
agreement has been achieved.


Fig. 5. Cavity-backed inverted microstrip circular patch antenna

TABLE I
RESONANT FREQUENCY VALUES OF CAVITY-BACKED IMCP ANTENNA FOR
DIFFERENT PATCH RADIUS

Patch
radius
(mm)
TLMcyl_
cw
TLMrec_
cw
Measured
values
15 5.284 5.160 5.1
20 4.003 3.880 3.9
25 3.185 3.169 3.0
IV. CONCLUSION
In this paper, patch antenna configurations are analyzed by
using 3D TLM approach based on the cylindrical grid and
enhanced with the compact wire model. It has been shown
that the application of the TLM method including the wire
node is very convenient for modelling patch antennas with an
excitation in the form of wire conductor loaded in the
substrate. Two different examples of patch antennas are
examined: circular microstrip antenna and cavity-backed
inverted microstrip circular patch (IMCP) antenna.
Verification of models is base on a good agreement achieved
between results obtained by using integral cylindrical TLM
method and those obtained by measurements or using TLM
numerical approach based on the rectangular grid. Generally,
cylindrical TLM method is more convinient for antennas with
circular geometry, alowing precise modeling of radiating
patch boundaries as well as structures such as ring resonators
or patch with radial slots.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This paper is funded by means of the Ministry of Education
and Science of Republic of Serbia within the project
numbered III 44009.
REFERENCES
[1] Balanis C.A(1982) Handbook of Microstrip Antennas. John Wiley and
Sons New York.
[2] R. Garg, P. Bhartia, I. Bahl, A. Ittipiboon, Microstrip Antenna Design
Handbook . Artech House, 2001.
[3] Improved Theory for Microstrip Antennas . IEEE Trans. MTT, 29 , no.
1, USA 1981: 38-46.
[4] C. Christopoulos, The Transmission-Line Modelling Method, IEE/OUP
Press, 1995.
[5] V.Trenki, A.J.Wlodarczyk, R.A.Scaramuzza, Modelling of Coupling
Between Transient Electromagnetic Field and Complex Wire
Structures, Int. Journal of Numerical Modelling, Vol.12, No.4, pp.257-
273, 1999.
[6] T. . Dimitrijevi, J. J. Jokovi, B. D. Milovanovi, N. S. Donov,
TLM Modelling of a Probe-coupled Cylindrical Cavity based on
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RF and Microwave Computer-Aided Engineering, John Wiley & Sons
Inc., Wiley InterScience Periodicals, Vol.22, No. 2, pp. 184-192, 2012.
[7] T. Dimitrijevi, J. Jokovi, B. Milovanovi, Cylindrical Mesh TLM
Model of Probe-Coupled Cavity Loaded with Planparallel Dielectric
Layers, Proc. of the ICEST 2012 Conference, Veliko Tarnovo,
Bulgaria, 28-30. June 2012, Vol.1, pp. 29-32.
[8] Siddiqui, J.Y.; Guha, D., Improved formulas for the input impedance
of probe-fed circular microstrip antenna, Antennas and Propagation
Society International Symposium, 2003. IEEE, Volume: 3 , 22-27 June
2003, pp:152 - 155 vol.3
[9] Guha, D., Siddiqui, J.Y.; Studies of the Resonant Characteristics of a
Cavity-Backed Microstrip Patch Antenna, Dig. 2003 IEEE
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APSTRAKT
Konfiguracije krune mikrostrip antene sa koaksijalnom
pobudom analizirane su pomou integralnog 3D TLM modela
u cilindrinom sistemu. U cilju ispitivanja mogunosti metoda
za modelovanje razliitih konfiguracija antena krunog oblika
realizovanih u mikrostrip tehnici, dobijene vrednosti
rezonantnih frekvencija uporeene su sa odgovarajuim
referentnim rezultatima baziranim na merenim rezultatima
kao i sa rezultatima dobijenih primenom TLM metoda u
pravougaonom koordinatnom sistemu.


Modelovanje mikrostrip antena krunog oblika sa
koaksijalnom pobudom

Jugoslav Jokovi, Tijana Dimitrijevi, Neboja Donov