Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
within an Enclosure
Part 1: Theory & Principle
By: John Lienau
The antenna impedance must be kept as close to the impedance of the trace line
feeding it as possible. In most systems there is a 50 Ohm trace going to the antenna. Since the
antenna impedance changes with frequency, there is only a limited range that can be matched
to the trace line for efficient power transfer. The process of matching your antenna over a
range of frequencies to the trace line is referred to as tuning or matching the antenna. The
quality of the match is characterized by VSWR, with Bandwidth referring to the range of
frequencies that the antenna impedance is close to 50 Ohms for a given VSWR.
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When the antenna is placed in an enclosure, the electromagnetic fields interact with the
surrounding materials. As a result of this, the fields develop differently than they would in free
space. This interaction ultimately changes the current distribution on the antenna, and
consequently its impedance. This is why an antenna must be tuned in its final enclosure. The
antenna impedance will shift depending on the proximity, electrical properties, and size of the
surrounding materials. An antenna design can be ruined if it is not tuned properly during
implementation.
Antennas can be tuned one of two ways. Either by adjusting the dimensions or with a
matching network typically consisting of discrete components. Typically changing physical
dimensions is not an option, so a discrete network is placed just before the antenna input. The
challenge with tuning an antenna is that its impedance is affected by nearby materials. If you
tune the antenna to 2.4 GHz on your bench and then place it in an enclosure, the tuned
frequency will shift. Figure 3 below demonstrates this effect. The red line is the antenna in
free space, unmatched. The green line represents the same antenna now matched in free
space. And the blue line is the final antenna response with it placed in the enclosure. Since the
antenna was not tuned in the enclosure the impedance is not matched to the 50 Ohm PCB
trace line over the frequency of interest. The antenna must be tuned in the enclosure to allow
for the changes in impedance to be accounted for. This is true for all antennas, including chip
and other pre-packaged antennas.
must always be rechecked if anything in the enclosure has changed, even objects several
centimeters away can have an impact.
When deciding on a location for the antenna in your product, consider the following questions:
1)
2)
3)
4)
The material that your enclosure is made out of will dramatically affect how it tunes.
Metal is extremely detrimental to antenna performance because it is conductive. Even paints
with a very low percentage of metal in it will have a significant impact. Keep all metal objects
(including PCBs) as far away from the antenna as possible. Electromagnetic fields create
currents on metal objects, which turns them into small radiators. Not only does this hurt the
match, but it will significantly reduce the gain pattern of the antenna. Additionally, the final use
of the product must also be considered. Will the antenna be covered up by a hand? Will the
product be mounted on a metal wall? All this can impact the tuning.
When it comes to tuning an antenna for its enclosure, there are many considerations.
The process of tuning the antenna is difficult and time consuming. In many cases there are
other PCBs, housing materials, batteries, display screens, metal brackets, and various other
harmful objects nearby. All of these affect the tuning and must be present. The antenna
location should be one of the first things considered when developing a new product; but it is
often the last component to be finalized.
Figure 4: Antenna Integrated Into Product, Designed in CST Microwave Studio at LS Research
The most effective method to anticipate antenna tuning and radiation problems is to
use simulation software to evaluate and predict the effects of an enclosure. An antenna
designer must identify the materials in the product, define their electrical properties, and
understand how the antenna will interact with them. A well designed and simulated antenna
will usually require no matching network; however it will only be tuned correctly for the exact
product it was designed for.
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