60-GHz LTCC Helical Antenna

Changrong Liu1,2, Yong-Xin Guo1, Shao-Qiu Xiao2

1
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore
4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576
eleguoyx@nus.edu.sg
2
University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China.

Abstract In this paper, we present a 60-GHz helical antenna feeding structure by a ground plane. This type of helical
element fabricated using low temperature co-fired ceramic antenna is convenient to form arrays for integration
(LTCC) technology. The flexible via hole distribution is fully applications.
utilized to achieve a planar helical antenna in LTCC to obtain
wideband circular polarization performance. The grounded
coplanar waveguide (GCPW) to stripline (SL) transition is
utilized for probe station measurement.

I. INTRODUCTION
Wireless short-range communications at the unlicensed
frequency band around 60 GHz are receiving a lot of attention.
A bandwidth of several GHz is now available in the 60-GHz
band for this short-range communications. A number of
applications such as uncompressed high definition video
streaming, mobile distributed computing, wireless gaming,
internet access, fast large file transfer, etc., are envisioned.
Communications in the 60-GHz band have some advantages
such as the possibility of frequency reuse over small distances
because of the high attenuation by walls, and the possible
miniaturization of the analog components and antennas. In
this connection, 60-GHz antennas have become a hot research
topic [1-6]. Nowadays more and more antenna designs are
shifting from conventional discrete designs to integrated on-
chip or in-package antenna solutions. Designs towards low-
cost highly-integrated 60-GHz radios have been carried out
using the multi-layer low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC)
technology as the LTCC process is capable of using the blind,
buried and through via anywhere in the substrate. Considering
the easy integration and flexible via holes distribution, the
LTCC technology has been regarded as the promising
technology of light weight, compactness and excellent high
frequency performance. In addition, in view of wireless access
applications, the circularly-polarized (CP) radiation property
is very desirable for 60-GHz antennas [5][6]. For a long time,
helical antennas are widely used as CP antennas because of
their good circular polarization and wide bandwidth. In [7],
Nakano et al. introduced a small and very low-profile
Fig.1 Geometry of the LTCC helical antenna
cylindrical helical antenna which produces very pure circular
polarization radiation over a broader angular range. II. ANTENNA DESIGN
In this paper, we propose a 60-GHz multilayer helical
Fig. 1 shows the single helical element composed of eight
antenna element using the LTCC technology. The proposed
1/3-turn open loops which lie on different layers of the LTCC
antenna element is composed of open loops at various layers
connected by via holes to form an axial-mode helical structure substrate and via holes for connecting the neighboring open
to generate travelling wave radiation. The designed antenna is loops with each other. The helical antenna is fed by a stripline
fed by a stripline to separate the radiating element from the to suppress the radiation from the feeding line. The antenna
structure is fabricated using the Ferro A6-M LTCC type
system with a fired thickness of 0.1 mm for each layer. The C 2 r1
= 0.915
dielectric permittivity and loss tangent are r=5.9 and tan g
=0.002, respectively. The conductor thickness is t=0.01mm.
0
The detailed dimensions are shown is Table 1. Each open loop
is composed of one-third loop and two circular catch pads
with radius r3=0.1mm, which are used to enhance the
electrical connection to avoid unexpected problems due to the -10

layer misalignment in the fabrication process.

|S11 (dB)|
-20

|S11|with 3 loops
|S11|with 6 loops
-30 |S11|with 8 loops
|S11|with 12 loops

50 55 60 65 70
Frequency (GHz)

(a)

8
Gain with 3 loops
Gain with 6 loops
6
Gain with 8 loops
Gain with 12 loops

Fig. 2. Normal model for a helical antenna. 4

Gain (dBi)

TABLE I 2
DETAILED ARRAY ELEMENT DIMENSIONS

Symbol Value Unit 0

r1 0.3 mm
r2 0.15 mm -2
r3 0.1 mm 50 55 60 65 70
phi 120 degree Frequency (GHz)
h1 0.5 mm
h2 0.3 mm (b)
h3 0.1 mm
h4 0.2 mm 9
AR with 3 loops
AR with 6 loops
When a traditional helical antenna operates in normal AR with 8 loops
model as shown in Fig. 2, the ratio of the magnitudes of the AR with 12 loops
6
E and E components is defined as AR:
Axial Ratio (dB)

E 4S 2 S (1)
AR = = 2
=
E kD ( D) 2
3

AR is unity (AR=1) when

2 S (2)
=1
( D) 2 0
50 55 60 65 70
where D is the diameter of the turn, and S is the spacing Frequency (GHz)
between each turn.
(c)
To achieve circular polarization primarily in the main lobe, Fig.3 Comparison of different turns of helical element: (a) |S11|, (b) gain; (c)
the circumference of the helix must be in the range of AR
3/4<C/0<4/3. In this antenna element, we select the
dimensions as in Table I so that the above criteria can be met. III. PARAMETRIC STUDY

2g (3 h4 ) Basically, a helical antenna has better circular polarization

2 S
2
= 2
0.695 performance with more turns. With the substrate thickness
( D ) ( 2 r1 ) increased, the surface wave will be enhanced as well.
AR =| log10 0.695 |= 1.58dB Especially for an antenna array, thick substrate will excite
more substrate modes thus enhance the mutual coupling results will be presented at the conference for the antenna
between array elements to result in decreasing radiation array.
efficiency and making radiation patterns distorted.
Fig. 3 shows the comparison of different turns of helical 0
element, including |S11|, gain and AR. Impendence matching
is good when the number of 1/3-turn open loops is greater
-10
than 6. Referring to Fig.3 (b), it is observed that gain with 6
loops is lower than that of 3 loops mainly due to the surface
wave. However, when the number of loops keeps increasing, -20

|S11|(dB)
r1=0.30mm, r2=0.15mm,
gain becomes higher again as the axial helical mode could
r3=0.10mm
have more contributions than the negative effect caused by -30 r1=0.31mm, r2=0.14mm,
surface wave of thick substrate. Also, better circular r3=0.11mm
polarization performance with more turns is demonstrated in r1=0.29mm, r2=0.16mm,
Fig.3 (c). -40
r3=0.09mm
Considering the antenna performance and profile, the LTCC
40 50 60 70 80
helical antenna is designed with dimensions as in Table 1. Fig. Frequency (GHz)
4 shows that the simulated impendence bandwidth covers Fig. 5. Effect of trace width variation.
from 48 GHz to 69 GHz for |S11| less than -10 dB and axial
0
ratio bandwidth covers from 51 GHz to 72 GHz for AR< 3dB.
The peak gain is 3.84 dBi at 60 GHz. The proposed antenna
element is right hand circular polarization (RHCP).
-10

0 18
|S11|(dB)

-20
15

-10
12 rvia
Axial Ratio (dB)

-30
rvia+0.01mm
|S11|(dB)

-20
-30
45 50 55 60 65 70
Frequency (GHz)
Fig.4 Simulated |S11| and Axial Ratio (AR).
In order to understand the fabrication tolerance effect,
parametric studies were conducted. Fig. 5 shows the effect of
the trace width variation. As we can see from Fig. 5, with a
variation of 0.01mm of r1, r2 and r3, the antenna performance
can be kept almost unchanged in the bandwidth.
As for the misalignment of via holes, catch pads have been
used to enhance the electrical connection. With a change of
0.01mm of radius of via holes, the antenna impedance
bandwidth is also kept almost unchanged as shown in Fig. 6.
IV. CONCLUSION
In this paper, a 60-GHz multilayer helical antenna element
using the LTCC technology has been proposed. The proposed
antenna element is composed of open loops at various layers
connected by via holes to form an axial-mode helical structure
to generate travelling wave radiation. Wideband impedance
and AR bandwidths have been obtained. More measured
9
rvia-0.01mm
6 -40
40 50 60 70 80
Frequency (GHz)
3
Fig. 6. Effect of misalignment of via holes.
0
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