A SINGLE BAND REFLECTARRAY

ANTENNA USING FR4 SUBSTRATE

ANNU THOMAS, DEEPTHY G S AND JERIN JOSE
RAJAGIRI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY,
COCHIN, INDIA

ICET 2015

Contents
1. Introduction to Reflectarray Antennas
2. Single Patch Element Design
3. Simulation Studies
4. Horn Antenna Design
5. Simulation Studies
6. Conclusion

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Introduction to Reflectarray
Antenna

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Reflectarray Antenna
Array of radiating elements
Element phases-fixed or tunable
Bandwidth is mainly limited by:
narrow band of radiating elements
differential spatial phase delay
resulting from different lengths
from feed
Limitations overcome by multi-layer designs, variable size
patches, dipoles

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Fig.: Geometry of the microstrip reflectarray

Fig.: Various Reflectarray elements.

Feed antenna illuminates the array

With identical patches, variable length phase delay lines,
variable size patches, dipoles, or rings achieves planar phase
front
ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Advantages
Structure of reflectarrays allows a much simpler and reliable
folding mechanism
Printed microstrip antenna can be fabricated with simple
and low cost etching process
Achieve accurate beam shape

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Single Patch Element Design

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Single Patch Element Design

Fig.: Geometry of Patch Element

Fig.: Geometry of Slot in Ground Plane

r = 4.4
Substrate height = 1.6 (all dimensions are in
mms)
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Features
Operating frequency-8.5GHz 10.4GHz
Feeding Mechanism- Floquet Port
Substrate material-FR4
-dielectric constant-4.4
Substrate height-1.6 mm
VSWR< 2

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Simulation Studies

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Simulation Studies.

The dimensions of substrate: W,L= 9.5mm

Radius of patch: r= 3.42mm
Delay line dimensions: Ws =0.31mm and Ls =
0.4mm
Height of the substrate: h= 1.6mm
Fig.: Simulated View

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

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Fig.: Master- Slave boundary conditions assignment

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Fig.: Floquet Port assignment

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Fig.: E-filed distribution

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Fig.: Gain Pattern

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Fig.: Phase response

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Fig.: Simulated S-parameter

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Horn Antenna Design

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

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Horn Antenna Design

The dimensions of horn antenna includes
a = 19.44mm and b = 26.5mm
Waveguide length = 4.15mm
Waveguide dimensions c = 4mm, d = 9mm
Horn Flare angle =52.9mm.

Fig.: Horn Antenna

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Simulation Studies

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Simulation Studies.

Fig.: Simulated View

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Fig.: Metal plate fed using horn antenna

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Fig.: Simulated VSWR

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Fig.: Simulated S-parameter

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Fig.: Gain Pattern

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

Fig.: Radiation Pattern

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Array Configuration

ICET 2015: Single Band Reflectarray Antenna using FR4 Substrate

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Fig.: Reflections from 2x2 and 4x4 array

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Conclusion

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Conclusion
The single element of the reflectarray antenna was designed
simulated for
8.4-10.5GHz (X-band) frequency range
Each element has circular patch and two phase delay lines
The substrate used was FR4 with dielectric constant 4.4
In order to feed the reflectarray, horn antenna was designed and
simulated

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References
1. R. Shamsaee Malfajani and Zahra Atlasbaf, Design and Implementation of a
Dual-Band Single Layer Reflectarray in X and K Bands IEEE Trans. Antennas
Propag., vol. 62, no. 8, pp. 44254431, Aug. 2014.
2. Reza Shamsaee Malfajani, Zahra Atlasbaf,, Design and Implementation of a
Broadband Single-Layer Reflectarray Antenna With Large-Range Linear Phase
Elements, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propag. letters, vol. 11, pp. 14421445,
2012.
3. J. Houng and J. Encinar, Reflectarray Antennas. Piscataway, NJ: IEEE Press, 2008.
4. E. Carrasco, B. Alfageme, and J. A. Encinar, Design of a multilayer aperturecoupled cell used as phase-shifter in reflectarrays, presented at the J. Int. de
Nice sur les Antennes, Nice, France, Nov. 2004.
5. J. A. Encinar, M. Arrebola, L. F. Fuente, and G. Toso, A transmitreceive
reflectarray antenna for direct broadband satellite application, IEEE Trans.
Antennas Propag., vol. 59, no. 9, pp. 32553264, Sep. 2011.
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6. E. Carrasco, J. A. Encinar, and M. Barba, Bandwidth improvement in large

reflectarrays by using true-time delay, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 56, no.
8, pp. 24962503, Aug. 2008.
7. Constantine. A. Balanis, "Antenna Theory Analysis & Design", John Wiley, & Sons
INC, Third Edition.
8. M.Ameena banu, N.R.Indira, M .Pandimadevi, Design of Pyramidal Horn Antenna
for UWB Applications, International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer
and Communication Engg., Vol. 2, Issue 7, pp. 2671-2673, July 2013.
9. HFSS Help/ Instruction Manual

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Thank You

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