Radiating Systems

IIT Bombay - EE 609

Lecture-5 (2023)
Size reduction, Tunability and Designing Feed for MSA Arrays
Kushal R. Tuckley
kushal@ee.iitb.ac.in (Cell: +91 9869069155)
 Techniques of Size Reduction of MSAs-1
MSA size is proportional to the wavelength: e.g. ‘L’ of RMSA ≈ λ/2
Higher 𝜖r Reduces size but decreases (↓) Gain and Efficiency
Techniques of Size reduction for Rectangular MSAs (RMSA)
• Putting ‘shorting post(s)’ and ‘cutting slots’ are popular techniques for the size reduction in the MSAs
• Combinations of these techniques are also found effective. However, it requires appropriate placement.
Compact Shorted RMSA Partially Shorted RMSA
Le L≈λ/4 Le≈λ/4
L ≈λ/2 + + +
Complete edge Partially shorted
H- shorting with 7 vias edge of RMSA
Plane W
E- W
W ws
We Plane
x x
x Zero
Volts Higher
Voltage
Moderate
+ Voltage + +

Full edge short to partial short

→Impedance Increases, Frequency decreases
30
𝑓0 =4 𝐿 GHz (Lengths L,W are in cm)
𝑒 + 𝑊𝑒 −𝑤𝑠 Τ2 𝜖𝑒
Acceptable Approximation for non-radiating edge → We ≈ W
Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 10.3, 10.5
 Techniques of Size Reduction of MSAs-2

30
(a) 𝑓0 = GHz (Lengths L,W are in cm)
4 𝐿𝑒 +(𝑊𝑒 /2) 𝜖𝑒
30
(b) 𝑓0 = (For Non radiating edge W, We ≈ W)
4 𝐿𝑒 + 𝑊𝑒 𝜖𝑒

Single PTH at (a) center of an edge (b) at the corner

8.791
𝑓0 = GHz (Lengths L,W are in cm)
𝑎𝑒1 𝜖𝑒
As the voltage increases along half the circumference,
𝑎𝑒1 =π𝑎𝑒 ; ae-effective radius of

Source : Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 10.6, 10.10
 Techniques of Size Reduction of MSAs-3
There are basically 4 different techniques for
MSA size reduction
(a) Altering the patch shape to increase the radiating edge C-MSA
Shorted C-MSA
(e.g. C and H shaped patches)
(b) Gap coupled patches (microstrip elements)
(c) Placing shorting vias in specific directions
(d) Introducing slots and making ring shaped MS patches
Combinations of two or more techniques also Rectangular Ring MSA
give good results
Design Procedure
1. Approximate mathematical expressions are
formed using the length of radiating edge
Rectangular Ring Gap
2. The shape dimensions are optimized using Coupled MSA
Radiating edge gap
the software packages coupled shorted MSA

Reference: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 10.11, 10.24
 Frequency Tuning of MSA Using a Stub
L
𝑐
𝑓0 ≈ Where, Δ𝑙1 ≈ 𝑤𝑒 ∙ 𝑙𝑒 /𝑊𝑒
2 𝐿𝑒 +Δ𝑙1 𝜖𝑒

A notch instead of a stub also offers frequency tuning

W w Le≈λ/4
+ + +
X
l Partially shorted
edge of RMSA Partial Shorting of
W the radiating also
ws offers frequency
x
Zero
Volts
tunability
Higher
Voltage
Moderate
+ Voltage + +

Reference: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 11.2 - 11.4
Electronically Controlled Tunability Using Varactor Diode
• A varactor diode is a PN junction diode which shows a wide variation in the depletion region with
variation in the reverse bias voltage. Therefore it can be used as a electronic tuneable capacitor.
• When this diode is used with the RMSA it gives effect equivalent to change in the dimension ‘L’.

Frequency( 1.3- 1.9 GHz)

Typical Characteristics
of Varactor Diode

Symbol
Reverse Bias Voltage (0 to30 V)

Typical Placement Frequency tuning

and usage with MSA with Voltage
Electronically Controlled Tuning and Switching Using PIN Diode
A diode in which the intrinsic part with a large resistivity is pressured
between the P and N region is called PIN diode.

Typical Characterises of PIN Diode v-i characteristics of pin diode - Bing images

L≈λ/4

• The resistance of a PIN diode changes over 5 orders of magnitude The shorted edge
Complete edge
length can be
• A PIN diode can be used as a voltage controlled switch electronically shorting with 7 vias
• PIN diode has low (≈0.3 pF) capacitance and it is independent of the bias varies by replacing
W
a few of the
• A PIN diode can realize ‘shorting via’ or ‘open’ on bias input shorting vias by
• Appropriately placed PIN diode can act as ‘voltage controlled shorting via’ PIN diodes x
and implement ‘switchable frequency performance’
 Single and Dual Feed Dual Band RMSA

Single feed Dual Band RMSA

Single feed Dual Band RMSA
• Two bands (frequencies) operate
• Two bands (frequencies) operate
in orthogonal Polarization
in orthogonal Polarization
• The frequency values depend on
• The frequency values depend on
‘x’ and ‘y’
‘x’ and ‘y’
• This is operated with Two
• It is simultaneous operation
Independent Inputs

Reference: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 11.6 - 11.7
 Dual Line Feed on Square MSA
• Square MSA with dual feed is used for operating
a. Two closely spaced frequencies in two different orthogonal polarizations
b. One Frequency in Circular Polarization
Following configurations are used for operating SMSA in Line feed mode
Basic Requirements for circular polarization is
a. Excitation of two radiating elements in orthogonial directions
b. The excitation signals must at same frequency and with a phase difference of 90⁰.

(a) Offset Feed: (a) Offset Feed:

1. The two feed points 1. The two feed points
have an off-Set of 90⁰ have an off-Set of 90⁰
2. Feed at port 1 shall 2. Feed at port 1 shall
result in LHCP and signal result in LHCP and the
3-dB branch signal at port 2 results in
at Port 2 results in RHCP line coupler
3. No isolation between OR 90⁰ hybrid RHCP
two ports 3. Good isolation between
two ports

Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 12.5
 Dual Band Operation on MSA with Slots: Examples

This arrangement shows resonance at The Plus shaped patch resonates at

Dual frequency operation @ 2.22 and 3.48 GHz ‘lower frequency (TM10)’ and ‘higher 2.85GHz. The array antenna of 4 patchs
The antenna without slot is > 3 times larger frequency (TM30)’. The frequency resonate at 8.65 GHz
values depend on the feed position ‘x’
and the slot length ‘l’

Reference: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 11.8, 11.9 and 11.11
Different Types of CP-MSA Patches-1

Images Reproduced from- Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant

Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 12.9 and 12.11.
 Different Types of CP-MSA Patches-2
Techniques of generating Circular Polarization
1. Adding Stubs, Notches slots and tip truncation at 45⁰ w.r.t feed axis
(This can be done with RMSA, SMSA, CMSA, ETMSA and Ring SMAs)
2. Incorporating slits on patches and rings with different shapes
3. The gain of CP MSAs could be enhanced by gap coupled patches
4. Appropriately places (at 45⁰) stacked patches, suspended structures
5. Linearly polarized elements fed with sequential time-delayed feeds
leading to rotation of polarization axis

Illustrative examples and the performance graphs of a few circular polarized MSAs are given in
“Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book”; Slides 12.6 to 12.21
 MSA Array Feed Techniques
The MSA arrays are fed with either of the two following techniques (a) Series feed and (b)Corporate (Parallel) Feed
Some large arrays use combination techniques

2X2
Centre Fed Series Feed
Corporate
Feed
End-Fed

Series Feed Corporate Feed

Advantages Advantages
(a) Reduced Feed Length and losses (a) Modular structure with equal power
(b) Lower Sidelobes (b) Large Bandwidth
Disadvantages Disadvantages
(a) Direction Changes with Frequency (a) High Feed Loss
(b) Low Bandwidth (b) High Cross- Polar Component
 Example of Series Seed MSA Array

However required
11.95
electrical length is λ/2
mm
Hence The deviation path

(≈30.7mm)

E-Plane Radiation Pattern

H-Plane Radiation Pattern

Reproduced from : Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slides 13.5
Example of Corporate Feed MSA Array
Design of a unit of 4 elements:
Impedance matching considerations

Building up of 8X8 array with

corporate feed

VSWR and Radiation pattern

Reproduced from : Girish

Kumar, Rinkee Gupta,
Hemant Kumar:
Antennas Concept and
Design- e-Book. Slides
13.9, 13.11,13.12
Example of Series and Corporate Feed for Monopulse Detection
Example of Space-Fed CMSA Array (1B7T)
Example of Fap Coupled Series fed RMSA Array
Questions?

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