2021 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar (APSAR)

Analysis Two Beams LHCP Array Triangular

Truncated Microstrip Antenna for CP-SAR Sensor
1st Muhammad Fauzan Edy Purnomo
Electrical Department of Engineering Faculty
Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia
mfauzanep@ub.ac.id
2021 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar (APSAR) | 978-1-7281-7333-7/21/$31.00 ©2021 IEEE | DOI: 10.1109/APSAR52370.2021.9688484
2nd Vita Kusumasari 3rd Rudy Yuwono
Mathematics Department, Faculty of Electrical Department of Engineering Faculty
Mathematics and Natural Sciences Universitas Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia
Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia rudy_yuwono@ub.ac.id

vita.kusumasari.fmipa@um.ac.id

4th Rahmadwati 5th Azizurrahman Rafli 6th Yuyu Wahyu

Electrical Department of Engineering Faculty Electrical Department of Engineering Faculty Research Center for Electronic
Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia Telecommunication P2ET-LIPI
rahma@ub.ac.id azizurrrafli@student.ub.ac.id Bandung, Indonesia
yuyuwahyusr@gmail.com

7th Hadi Suyono 8th Onny Setyawati 9th Rini Nur Hasanah
Electrical Department of Engineering Faculty Electrical Department of Engineering Faculty Electrical Department of Engineering Faculty
Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia
hadis@ub.ac.id osetyawati@ub.ac.id rini.hasanah@ub.ac.id

Abstract—The development of a Circularly Polarized as an echo, is backscattered from the surface and received a
Synthetic Aperture Radar (CP-SAR) attached to a micro-satellite fraction of a second later at the same antenna (see Fig. 1). The
is able to retrieve physical information on the earth's surface, such brightness, or radar reflectivity (intensity, power, amplitude) of
as the cryosphere, global vegetation, and future disaster areas. In the received echo is measured and recorded. For coherent radar
this paper, we obtain the configuration of the Left-Hand Circular systems such as SAR, the phase of the received echo is also
Polarization (LHCP) array four patches stack triangular measured. The radar echo and associated phases are used during
truncated microstrip antenna. This construction use the basic the focusing process to perform image construction.
corporate feed microstrip-line with modified lossless T-junction
power divider on radiating patch for CP-SAR sensor. Here, we
discuss two characteristics antenna that has two beams, i.e.
simulated and measured triangular truncated microstrip-line feed
antenna at occurred frequency, f = 5.2 GHz for simulation and f =
5.8 GHz for measurement. The simulated antenna is designed by
using the Moments Method (MoM) for CP-SAR sensor. The
results of gain and S-parameter both for simulation and
measurement at the each target frequency show successively about
9.74 dBic and 13.1 dBic of gain and −10.78 dB and −8.49 dB of S-
parameter. Moreover, the impedance bandwidth of this antenna
both simulation and measurement are around 410 MHz (7.89%)
and 100 MHz (2.63%), respectively.

Keywords- CP-SAR, LHCP, corporate feed microstrip-line, two

beams, MoM
I. INTRODUCTION
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an active remote sensing
system that uses the microwave region of the electromagnetic
spectrum between the frequencies of 0.3 GHz to 300 GHz (or
when expressed in wavelength, between 1 m to 1 mm).
Microwaves also have the ability to penetrate surface layers, for
example vegetation canopy, deeper than optical wavelengths.
The idea of SAR is to send pulses and store the echo scene along
a synthetic aperture (i.e. the path of the SAR sensor) and then
combine the echo by application of a precise focusing
algorithm. The combination is done coherently.
Radar imaging is an active illumination system. Antenna,
mounted on the platform, transmits radar signal on the side
looking towards the earth's surface. The reflected signal, known
Fig.1. Signal transmission in SAR [1]
Some of the SAR modes in obtaining data are as follows: (i)
use the full travel distance to describe a long strip of land
(Stripmap), (ii) illuminating a portion of the field on a land at
any angle of movement of the path (ScanSAR), (iii) imaging of
a scene at a smoother resolution and at multiple angles during a
single pass (Spotlight).
Theoretically, the size of observation area of conventional
radar system depends on how big the size of sensor used or in
other word depends on the size of antenna aperture. The bigger
size of it, the larger observation area can be obtained. Basically,
radar captures a signal with a relative low power level. In
contrast to the other image techniques for instance Real
Aperture Radar (RAR) that uses the actual size of the antenna,
SAR works with relative small antenna which has a wide

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 2021 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar (APSAR)

coverage area. In addition, SAR technique is one of the radar tangent (δ) are 2.17 and 0.0005, respectively. Moreover, the
techniques which is widely implemented due to its capability in total substrate thickness of LHCP antenna is 3.2 mm. Also, the
improving the detection of azimuth resolution. design of LHCP four patches array antenna fed by corporate
feed microstrip-line having low power and the antenna view on
In this investigation, we conduct and discuss numerical the 35° angle side for CP-SAR application are discussed.
simulation and measurement results related to the microstrip
antenna with research method and construction described in
Fig.2 and Fig.3. In particular, the analysis focuses on the study
of triangular truncated array 2 × 2 patches antenna for LHCP.
In this case, the array antenna uses four patches as a transmitter,
Tx, and a receiver, Rx [2] [3]. Table 1 shows the specification
for the C-band CP-SAR of micro-satellite system [4]. The tp

Method of Moments (MoM) is chosen in the numerical analysis

for fast calculation. This method discretizes the integral into a
matrix equation. This discretization can be considered as
dividing the surface of antenna into small mesh [5]. To realize
this method, we use Computer Simulation Technology (CST) tr

version 2016 from corporate company CST STUDIO SUITE

[6]. The numerical simulation of the triangular truncated array
antenna are shown in Section 3, especially at the target
frequency, f = 5.2 GHz where this antenna as basic
configuration embedded on micro-satellite for the application
of CP-SAR sensor both Tx and Rx. Furthermore, the
measurement result is working at frequency, f = 5.8 GHz. Each
antenna can generate wave that yields a CP. The technique to
achieve CP can be easily obtained i.e. by proper adjusting of the
parameters, determining locus feed, and constructing feed [7]
[8].

TABLE I. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION OF MICRO-SATELLITE SYSTEM

No Antenna Parameters Specification for Drone
1. Resonant frequency (Center) (GHz) C-band: 5.0 - 5.5 GHz
2. Pulse band wide (MHz) 10 - 233.31
3. Axial ratio (dB) ≤3
4. Antenna efficiency (%) >80
5. Gain antenna (dBic) 9.6 – 36.6
6. Azimuth beamwidth (°) ≥ 1.08
7. Elevation beamwidth (°) ≥ 2.16
8. Antenna size (m) 0.6 × 0.5
9. Polarization (Tx/Rx) RHCP + LHCP Fig.2. Configuration of array four patches stack LHCP antenna

II. ANTENNA CONFIGURATION

To investigate the low power of the LHCP array four
patches stack triangular truncated microstrip antenna both of
simulated and fabricated antenna (see Fig. 2 and Fig. 3), the
antenna is constructed the mold of substantial planar array using
microstrip-line that is fed directly to radiating patches and
impacts on parasitic patches to yield the CP with wider
bandwidth than other antennas operated in Linear Polarization
(LP) [9] [10] [11] and Circular Polarization (CP) [12] [13]. It is
because the right pattern of basic construction determines the
superiority of array antenna design using patches stack and
corporate feed microstrip-line [14], [15] [16]. Although the
corporate feeding-line design has been developed [7] [17] [18],
the design was for the antenna bandwidth, Impedance
Bandwidth (IBW) and Axial Ratio Bandwidth (ARBW) smaller
than this novel antenna. In this paper, Nippon Pillar Packing
(NPC) H220A is chosen as the antenna substrate. It has a
conventional substrate with dielectric constant (εr), and loss Fig.3. Fabricated of array four patches stack LHCP antenna

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 2021 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar (APSAR)

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION beamwidth are 75° from −100° to −25° (direction to azimuth, φ
Fig. 4 shows the relationship between the reflection = 180° and φ = 270° or negative-θ) and around 68° from 2° to
coefficient (S11) and the frequency for the simulation and 70° (direction to azimuth, φ = 0° and φ = 90° or positive-θ). All
measurement Tx/Rx array four patches stack triangular of these values satisfy the targeted elevation beamwidth of ≥
truncated microstrip antenna. Moreover, the value of S11 at the 2.16° at Table I. for better resolution of CP-SAR micro-
frequency, f = 5.2 GHz about −10.78 dB and at frequency, f = satellite.
5.8 GHz around −8.49 dB. While the S11 bandwidth is around
410 MHz (7.89%). Fig. 5 depicts Voltage Standing Wave Ratio
(VSWR) is the ratio between voltage maximum and minimum
stress in a standing wave resulting in wave reflection caused by
improper antenna input impedance with feed line are around
1.81 at f = 5.2 GHz for simulation and about 2.21 at f = 5.8 GHz
for measurement. In practice, the VSWR value which is the
threshold of an antenna can work well is 1 < VSWR < 2. The
simulated and measurement results are different in Figs. 4 and
5. The mismatch between these results are contributed from
fabrication error, connector, coaxial cable, and plastic screws to
support the substrate to be flat [19][20]. Empirically, these are
very sensitive to the performance of the antenna, especially the (a) x-z cut-plane, φ = 0°, simulation result
S11. In the feed network, the length from input port to output
ports must be fixed at l × λ/4 (l = 1, 3, 5, etc.) to achieve the
optimal current intensity [18][21]. In this work, we use l = 9 or
the distance between input port to output ports is 138.5424 mm.

(b) y-z cut-plane, φ = 90°, simulation result

Fig.6. Elevation plane of four patches antenna, f = 5.2 GHz

Fig.4. S-parameter of four patches antenna

Fig. 7 (a) and Fig. 7 (b) describe the azimuth plane in the
area of θ = 35° for LHCP at frequency 5.2 GHz for simulation
result. The values of maximum gain and minimum axial ratio
(Ar) on this plane are 9.74 dBic on ϕ = 0° and 1.3 dB on ϕ =
145°. The major values of 3 dB-Ar beamwidth on x-y plane,
direction to φ = 0° (horizontal position) are about 63° from ϕ =
317° to ϕ = 20° and around 60° from ϕ = 137° to ϕ = 197°.
While for the x-y plane, direction to φ = 90° (vertical position)
are roughly 65° from ϕ = 45° to ϕ = 110° and approximately
63° from ϕ = 227° to ϕ = 290°. These results exhibit that the
Fig.5. VSWR of four patches antenna
targeted azimuth beamwidth ≥ 1.08° at Table I. can occur for
the resolution of CP-SAR micro-satellite.
Furthermore, the bandwidth impedance (lower -10 dB) of
the simulation result about 410 MHz (7.89%), and the
bandwidth impedance of the measurement result is
approximated 100 MHz (2.63%).
Fig. 6 (a) and Fig. 6 (b) depict the relationship between gain
and elevation or θ-angle produced from the LHCP array four
patches stack triangular truncated microstrip antenna as
azimuth (Az / φ) direction (positive-θ for direction to azimuth,
φ = 0° or φ = 90° and negative-θ for direction to azimuth, φ =
180° or φ = 270°) of CP-SAR at f = 5.2 GHz for simulation
result. At the elevation 55° or θ = 35°, the average values of
maximum gain and Ar of this antenna are about 9.74 dBic and
2.89 dB, respectively. Furthermore, the values of 3 dB-Ar (a) x-y cut-plane, φ = 0°, simulation result

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 2021 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar (APSAR)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Fig.4. Input impedance of four patches antenna The authors would like to express their gratitude to LPPM
of the Brawijaya University who has awarded the Doktor
Mengabdi (DM) 2021 grant for the funding of this publication.
Great thanks to the Microelectronic Research Laboratory
(MeRL), Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology,
Kanazawa University, Japan and PPET LIPI (Research Center
for Electronics and Telecommunications Indonesian Institute of
Sciences), Bandung, West Java, Indonesia for the support of
facilities to collect the data in this research.
(b) x-y cut-plane, φ = 90°, simulation result
Fig.7. Azimuth plane of four patches antenna, f = 5.2 GHz, θ = 35° TABLE II. FAR-FIELD MEASUREMENT RESULTS OR RADIATION PATTERN
(E/RX AND H/RY)
In this figure also described that to create two beam TM21 Antenna Rotation Angle, Level Spectrum Analyzer (dBm)
CP with stable radiation patterns which are slightly symmetric φ (°) Horizontal (RX) Vertical (RY)
at the boresight beam, the element spacing of radiating patches 0 −44.58 −44.49
is λ/2. Furthermore, the tips of corporate feed microstrip-line 10 −43.62 −44.35
which have the same parameter sizes spread the current within 20 −48.29 −45.61
radiating and parasitic patches. To establish CP, we require the 30 −49.76 −47.81
proper setting size between the tips of corporate feed 40 −44.16 −50.23
microstrip-line and the perturbation segment on the radiating 50 −44.18 −52.77
and parasitic patches. Owing to the both of them strongly
60 −47.14 −55.19
affected with a high degree of sensitivity, they yield two
70 −49.78 −52.38
orthogonal resonant modes of equal amplitudes and 90° phase
difference. In order to preserve the symmetric beam and to keep 80 −50.64 −50.67
the low CP, wider ARBW, and the higher gain, this antenna 90 −50.82 −53.26
using triangular truncated parasitic patches with area around 100 −49.80 −52.71
remaining part is covered with substrate. 110 −51.61 −48.58
120 −55.37 −46.43
While the measurement values for the far field or antenna
130 −54.60 −44.84
radiation pattern for the E-field or RX or elevation plane as well
140 −53.05 −43.51
as for the H-field or RY or azimuth plane are shown in Table II.
at a working frequency of 5.8 GHz and a reference antenna 150 −51.63 −42.71
signal/gain level of −40.7/13.1 dBm/dBi and the measurement 160 −55.44 −43.39
distance is 1 meter and the transmit power level from the signal 170 −55.61 −41.97
generator is 0 dBm or 1 mWatt. 180 −55.73 −41.87
190 −58.66 −42.23
200 −54.54 −42.51
IV. CONCLUSION 210 −55.42 −47.65
The performance results both (i) Left-Handed Circular 220 −54.29 −51.84
Polarization (LHCP) simulation antenna at frequency, f = 5.2 230 −56.03 −53.66
GHz and (ii) LHCP fabricated antenna, f = 5.8 GHz using low 240 −54.51 −52.97
power around 0 dBm for CP-SAR sensor have been presented. 250 −53.62 −57.17
The values of S11 = −10.78 dB of (i), S11 = −8.49 dB of (ii), 260 −50.12 −50.32
VSWR = 1.81 of (i), VSWR = 2.21 of (ii). The maximum gain 270 −51.13 −49.69
and the minimum Ar values of this antenna in the gain/axial
280 −50.71 −46.55
ratio function to the elevation angle or θ-angle were around 8.14
290 −49.62 −45.63
dBic and 2.46 dB at θ = −35° and around 9.74 dBic and 2.89 dB
300 −48.29 −45.31
at θ = 35°. Moreover, the maximum gain and minimum Ar
values in the relation function of gain/axial ratio to azimuth 310 −47.36 −41.35
angle or ϕ-angle were about 9.74 dBic at ϕ = 0° and 1.3 dB at ϕ 320 −47.43 −44.37
= 145°, while the gain of measurement around 13.1 dBi. 330 −55.23 −44.49
340 −50.00 −44.81
350 −46.53 −45.80
360 −45.25 −43.53

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 2021 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar (APSAR)

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