Hexagonal Microstrip Patch Antenna

Hajra Farooq, Yousma Izn Khan, Student Member IEEE, Fatimah Majeed

Electrical Engineering Department, National University of Science and Technology (NUST PNEC), Habib Rahmatullah Road, Karachi, Pakistan

hajrafkhan97@gmail.com , yousma.25@gmail.com, fatimamajeed39@yahoo.com

Abstract---- In this paper, we have designed and simulated such an antenna

which has a range between 2.4GHz to 5.9GHz, which falls between the
allowed frequency range which is free band (also known as ISM band) for
RF communication. In this paper we have simulated a hexagonal patch
antenna which can be used for wireless area network and extend the
growth of the market requirements. In order to design a wireless area body
network, it is observed that an antenna requires a ground, substrate,
feedline and feed. In order to run the RF antenna without restriction the
ISM band is chosen. Therefore, we first need to calculate the dimensions
of physical parameter by substituting the substrate parameter (di-electric
constant, dielectric height and required frequency) and electrical
parameters (Zo and Electric length).
Figure 1: The proposed Microstrip patch antenna design.
I. INTRODUCTION
As the world is advancing newer technologies are coming into being. In the Parameter Description Dimensions
field of radio frequency communication, antennas are majorly used. In the 21 st SL Length of the substrate 20mm
century massive amount of work has been done for wireless communication SW Width of Substrate 20mm
which includes the ISM band. All smart appliances are equipped with antenna ST Substrate of Thickness 1.6mm
in order to make smarter world. These days antenna is found in every medium PL Length of Hexagonal Patch 4.5mm
to make communication easier. Therefore, in this paper we have chosen to FL Feed length 7mm
design a ‘Hexagonal Microstrip Patch Antenna’ for wireless communication. FW Feed width 1mm
The range for antenna is chosen between 2.4GHz to 5.8GHz since this is a free Table 2: The dimensions of proposed antenna.
band which is used by all wireless networks and is freely accessible. These
While designing the antenna on the HFSS software, first of all we made a
types of antennas were introduced in 1970s. It is widely used for GPS and other
rectangle for ground. The position for ground rectangle was chosen to be (0, -
mass-produced wireless products. The microstrip patch antenna has elasticity 4,0) and the x and y axis values to be 70mm. Then, a cube was formed for
of placing the feed in the micro-strip patch antenna anywhere inside patch in substrate and transparency was chosen to be 0.8. The dimensions for position
order to match the input impedance. The micro-strip patch antenna’s fabrication of substrate were selected as (0, -4,0) with (X, Y, Z) axis values as
process is tranquil. The antenna has additional advantage of low counterfeit (70mm,70mm,3.6mm). The material for substrate was chosen as FR4_epoxy.
radiation. The antenna was first of all designed on software to ensure that it After this, the hexagonal patch is created with no. of sides of polygon chosen
to be 6. For the hexagon the center position was selected as (38mm, 30.9mm,
falls between the chosen range and after successful creation, the antenna was
3.6mm) while for start position the (38mm,49mm,3.6mm). For the patch a
fabricated on a PCB and was tested.
rectangle is drawn, united with the hexagon patch named as subtract. The
position for the ‘subtract’ are (41.2mm,28.5mm,3.6mm) and X and Y axis as
II. DESIGNING OF ANTENNA
12.5mm and 5mm respectively. The subtract is then subtracted from the
In order to begin with the designing of antenna the first and foremost thing we hexagon by selecting hexagon and subtract. Then, for feedline we have to draw
need to do is to decide our substrate. The substrate parameters include dielectric a rectangle with position (35.82mm, 29.5mm, 3.6mm) with X and Y axis as
constant which has a pronounced effect on impedance bandwidth of antenna, 34.2mm and 3mm respectively. Moreover, we have to unite the feedline and
thickness(h). In the designing of our hexagonal patch antenna the chosen hexagon using ‘unite’ command such that it becomes a hexagonal patch. The
substrate is FR4_epoxy. The substrate parameters are mentioned below in table YZ axis is chosen to form a feed with the help of rectangle. The position is kept
1. as (70mm, 29.5mm, 3.6mm) while Y and Z size are chosen as 3mm and -3.6mm
respectively. A radiation box is then created using a cube with opacity of 1. The
Table 1: FR4_Epoxy Substrate Parameters position is kept as (-10, -14, -23) and (X, Y, Z) axis as (90mm,90mm, 50mm).
FR4_Epoxy Parameters Values
Di-electric Constant (εr ) 4.4
Substrate Thickness 1.6mm
Loss Tangent 0.017

The resonant frequency for our hexagonal patch antenna was selected to be
2.45GHz. The initial calculations were done using emtalk microstrip calculator.
( https://www.emtalk.com/mpacalc.php ). Through these parameters, the input
impedance is calculated through the given URL.

The proposed design for the hexagonal patch antenna is shown in the Figure 1.
This antenna consists of a hexagon with the dimensions mentioned and the
patch used to connect with the connector. The top and sideview of antenna are
shown with the dimensions mentioned in Table 2.
Figure 2: Hexagonal Patch design

The ground and polygon are then assigned finite conductivity and material is
chosen to be ‘copper’. The radiation box is kept as radiation medium. Solution
type is chosen as terminal where we will be using ‘SMA’ terminal port after our
PCB fabrication. Feed is assigned excitation using ‘lumped port’ and ground is
used as reference. The solution for frequency is kept as 2.45GHz and maximum
number of passes are kept as 20 for adaptive solutions. The frequency sweep
for solution1 is kept fast with frequency setup between 1GHz-3GHz.
Figure 3: Simulation S11 graph of antenna
Figure 2 shows the s11 graph (Reflection coefficient) which has a main role in
designing of an antenna. The s11 graph defines the bandwidth and impedance
matching characteristics. The graph of Figure 2 , shows three peaks. Amongst
these three peaks, only two falls in the ISM band. These peaks have frequency
of 2.45GHz and 4.4GHz. While the one outside the ISM band is 6.6GHz.
Figure 4: Radiation Pattern
Figure 3 shows the radiation field of our antenna. This plot shows gain and
phase. Gain (-1, -7, -13 and -19). The graph extends from 0 to 180° and 0 to -
180°. This graph shows the signal strength at different points of the peripherals
of the circle. The graph is not uniformly distributed, and the propagation is
neither perfect. The graph is neither linear nor logarithmic. Also, it shows that
the dipole pattern of azimuth for antenna. The azimuth lies purely in x-y plane.
As seen from the figure there are two lobes, comprising of minor and major
lobes in a single direction. Therefore, in such situations when a gain is greater
in one direction there has been a compromise in gain in other direction.
Figure 5: Antenna Far Field Visualization
Far field visualization of antenna was also made in order to check that in which
directions the antenna radiates its energy. Figure 4 shows the depiction for our
antenna. Each point on an antenna acts as thought in an isotropic antenna. As
we add points, we see constructive and destructive interferences, resulting in a
wave front away from the dipole with some minor sidelobes. The energy,
therefore, goes mostly up and down. The Green portion in the lobe is presented
as ‘Near Field area’ while far field is denoted by blue. Therefore, there is no
sharp distinction amongst the two fields.
Figure 5a: PCB Fabricated Microstrip Patch antenna front side
Figure 5b: PCB fabricated ground Surface of Hexagonal Patch antenna
After the successful result of simulation, the design was fabricated on FR4
double sided copper board. Figure 5 (a,b) shows the front and back side of our
antenna. A Gerber file was created so that a PCB print can be formed and later
the design was etched on the PCB board. An SMA connector was used so that
frequency can be measured of our antenna.
Figure 7: PCB Fabricated Antenna s11 graph
Before fabrication the frequency achieved by software is 2.4GHz,4.4GHz and
6.6 GHz with gain values as -19.5320, -15.0812 and -20.1943 respectively.
While for the fabricated antenna, the frequency is achieved at 2.69GHz and
6.608GHz with gain achieved at -16.7628dB and-9.5356dB.
III. CONCLUSION
Although, the result of the prototype and simulation are quite close but there is
always space for improvements. The slight change observed in frequency must
be due to smaller width of hexagon which means it will catch lesser number of
radiations. If the fringing field of antenna is increased the result will be a lot
better. Additionally, dielectric losses also play a vital role in difference of
simulation and hardware design. Thus, this factor can be improved if we use a
good quality substrate. Conductor losses can also create dissimilarity in the
results which be refined by using a good quality conductor. Apart from that a
slight change in dimension can have a great impact on the result, thus it is
recommended that all dimensions are kept wisely to get optimized result. Also,
it should be noted that while the substrate material is being chosen it should
match with the di-electric else it can result inadequate. Apart from this, if the
quality of PCB is improved better results will be achieved.