RFID PATCH ANTENNA

VATSAL SHAH

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of

Technology
Internship Project
June 2008

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 PRESENTATION
OBJECTIVES
 Provide overview of RFID technology.
 Explain technical principles of patch
antenna for frequency 915
MHz & 865 MHz which is used in RFID
applications.
 Discuss:
DESIGN OF PATCH ANTENNA
RFID APPLICATIONS

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 AGENDA
 Define RFID system
 RFID system architecture
 Define patch antenna
 Properties of patch antenna
 Design of patch antenna
 Define Circular polarization
 Feed mechanism of patch antenna
 Results of tested parameter

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 Radio Frequency
IDentification
 It stores a serial number that identifies a person or
object, and perhaps other information, on a
microchip that is attached to an antenna.

 The chip and the antenna together are called an

RFID transponder or an RFID tag.

 The antenna enables the chip to transmit the

identification information to a reader. The reader
converts the radio waves reflected back from the
RFID tag into digital information that can then be
passed on to computers that can make use of it.

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RFID System
Architecture

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FOUR MAIN FREQUENCIES

This is of interested
frequency
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 ANTENNA PARAMETERS
 Antenna Gain
 Polarization

 Bandwidth

 Beamwidth

 Return Loss

 VSWR

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 Antenna Gain is a measure of how strong a
signal is received or transmitted compared to
either an isotropic (point source) antenna or to
a dipole antenna.

 The Polarization of an antenna is the

orientation that the electric field of the
wireless signal component is radiating in.

 As a signal propagates through the air it

experiences some loss. This is called path
loss.

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 Antenna Beamwidth is the angle between the
points on the main lobe at which the power drops
off to half of its peak power.

 The Bandwidth of an antenna indicates the

frequency or frequency range in which it is
designed to be used.

 The Return Loss (RL) is a parameter which

indicates the amount of power that is “lost” to
the load and does not return as a reflection.

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 RL indicates how well the matching between the
transmitter and antenna has taken place.

 VSWR is a measure of how well matched an

antenna is to the cable impedance.

 VSWR=(Г +1)/(Г - 1)

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 PATCH ANTENNA
 A Microstrip patch antenna
consists of a radiating patch
on one side of a dielectric
substrate which has a ground
plane on the other side as
shown in.

 Large ground planes give

better performance but makes
the antenna bigger.

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11
 Made of conducting material such as copper.

 The radiating patch and the feed lines are usually

photo etched on the dielectric substrate.

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 PROPERTIES OF BASIC MICROSTRIP
PATCH

 The electric field is zero at the center of the patch, maximum

(+ve) at one side, and minimum (-ve) on the opposite side and
continuously changes side according to the instantaneous phase
of the applied signal.
 The electric field does not stop abruptly at the patch's periphery;
rather, the fields extend the outer periphery to some degree.
These field extensions are known as fringing fields and cause the
patch to radiate.

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 DIELECTRIC OF
SUBSTRATE
 The dielectric constant (Єr) is defined
as the ability of a substrate to retain
charge and loss tangent (tanδ) is the
power lost from the patch antenna due to
heating up of the substrate.

 A thick dielectric substrate having a low

dielectric constant provides better
efficiency, larger bandwidth and better
radiation but a larger antenna size.

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 for a compact Microstrip patch
antenna, higher dielectric constants
is be used which are less efficient
and result in narrower bandwidth.

 Hence a compromise must be

reached between antenna
dimensions and antenna
performance.

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DIELECTRIC MATERIAL :FR-4
 FR-4 is a generic name for conventional,
fiberglass-reinforced, flame-retardant epoxy.

 FR4 has a high loss tangent (tanδ) and is highly

frequency dependent.

 Typical Material: FR4 (double-sided copper clad)

h = 1.57 mm
ɛr = 4.43
tanδ=0.012

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 DESINGN OF
ANTENNA
The design width of a microstrip patch antenna is
given by

Where
fr = frequency of operation (resonant frequency)

μ0 = permeability of free space

= 4π*10-7 H/m

ε0 = permittivity of the free space

= 8.854*10-12 F/m
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 microstrip patch antenna has a length of
half of a wavelength at its center frequency
, which is given by

where

and
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where,
εreff = Effective Dielectric Constant
εr = Dielectric constant of substrate
h = Height of dielectric substrate
W = Width of the patch

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 Circular Polarization

 In a circular polarized antenna, the electric field

varies in two orthogonal planes (x and y direction)
with the same magnitude and a 90° phase difference.
 The result is the simultaneous excitation of two
modes, i.e. the TM10 mode (mode in the x direction)
and the TM01 (mode in the y direction). One of the
modes is excited with a 90° phase delay with respect
to the other mode.

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 CIRCULARLY POLARIZED
ANTENNA

 The helical nature of the field from a

circularly polarized antenna allows it to
read tags in more than one orientation.
 But their output is approximately 50% less
than linear antennas.
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 PATCH ANTENNA FEED
MECHANISM

FEED MECHANISM

DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO PATCH DIRECTLY COUPLED TO PATCH

MICROSTIPLINE COAXIAL PROBE FEED APERTURE COUPLING PROXIMITY COUPLING

For matching of the impedance of the feed line to the

patch without the need for any additional matching
element.
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 Comparing the different feed techniques
Characteristics Microstrip Coaxial Feed Aperture Proximity
Line coupled Feed coupled Feed
Feed
Spurious feed More More Less Minimum
radiation
Reliability Better Poor due to Good Good
soldering
Ease of Easy Soldering and Alignment Alignment
fabrication drilling needed required required
Impedance Easy Easy Easy Easy
Matching
Bandwidth 2-5% 2-5% 2-5% 13%
(achieved with
impedance
matching)

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 FR-4 DIELECTRIC SQUARE
PATCH ANTENNA DESIGN
PARAMETERS
Frequency: 915 MHz Frequency: 865 MHz
 Width: 78mm  Width: 82.52mm
 Length: 78mm  Length: 82.52mm
 Height: 1.57mm  Height: 1.57mm
 Fr 4 dielectric
 Fr 4 dielectric
constant: 4.43
constant: 4.43
 Edge impedance of
 Edge impedance
patch: 397.30Ω
of patch: 397.32 Ω
 N-type Female
 N-type Female Connector
Connector
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DESIGN OF 915 MHZ PATCH
ANTENNA

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DESIGN OF 865 MHZ PATCH
ANTENNA

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 CALCULATED PARAMETERS

Frequency: 915 MHz Frequency:865 MHz

 Feed mechanism:  Feed mechanism:
Microstrip line Microstrip line
 For microstrip line  For microstrip line
at 140ohm at 140.94ohm
length:48.11mm length:50.901mm
width:0.223mm width:.223mm
at 50ohm at 50 ohm
length:44.774mm length:47.36mm
width:2.986mm width:2.986mm

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 TYPE OF TEST
 VSWR/Return Loss
 Gain
 Circular Polarization
 Radiation Pattern
 Front to Back Ratio
 Beam width

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VSWR/ RETURN LOSS TEST

Instrument required
 Signal generator
 Spectrum analyzer
 Return loss bridge
 Low loss cable

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 ARRANGEMET
FOR
MEASURING
RETURN
LOSSS

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 RETURN LOSS FOR 915 MHZ
PATCH AT CENTER FREQUENCY

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 GAIN TEST

Instrument required
 Signal generator
 Spectrum analyzer
 Set of standard dipoles
 Low loss cable

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GAIN MEASUREMENT

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CIRCULAR POLARIZATION TEST
For 915 MHZ
Vertically:
Vertical up 41 dBm
Vertical down 41 dBm

Horizontally:
Horizontal right 41dBm
Horizontal left 41dbm

For 865 MHZ

Vertically:
Vertical up 43 dBm
Vertical down 43 dBm
Horizontally:
Horizontal right 43 dBm
Horizontal left 43 dBm
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VSWR V/S RETRURN LOSS

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RADIATION PATTERN

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GROUP NO: 29 37
 PARAMETERS AFTER
TESTING
Frequency: 915
Frequency: 915 Frequency: 865 Frequency: 865
MHz MHz

1. Gain : 6.2dbi 1. Gain : 5.1dbi

2. FBR : 20db
2. FBR : 20db
3. Return Loss : 21db
3. Return Loss : 18db
4. VSWR : 1.5:1
4. VSWR : 1.5:1
5. Beam width :
5. Beam width :
Hor-60 deg, Ver-50 deg
Hor-60 deg, Ver-50
deg 6. Range : ~2 m

6. Range : ~3 m

GROUP NO: 29 38
 ADVANTAGES OF PATCH
ANTENNA
 Light weight, low volume, low profile planar
configuration which can be easily made.

 Low fabrication cost, hence can be manufactured

in large quantities.

 low scattering cross section.

 Linear and Circular polarizations are possible with

simple changes in the feed position.

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 Can be easily integrated with microwave integrated
circuits (MICs).

 Capable of dual and triple frequency operations.

 Mechanically robust when mounted on rigid surfaces.

 Feed lines and matching networks are simultaneously

fabricated along with the antenna structure.

 They are compatible with modular designs( solid state

devices such as oscillators, amplifiers, variable
attenuators, switches, modulators, mixers, phase shifters
etc can be added directly to the antenna board).

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 DISADVANTAGES OF PATCH

ANTENNA
Narrow bandwidth

 Low efficiency

 Low Gain

 Poor isolation between the feed and the

radiating elements.

 Low power handling capacity.

 Surface wave excitation

GROUP NO: 29 41
 APPLICATION
 Access Control & Security
Electronic Article Surveillance
Employee Entry / ID Badges

 Transportation vehicle ID
(road toll)

 Logistics / Tracking
Animal Tracking
Supply Chain Management
Airline Baggaging

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