volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

A microstrip patch antenna can be readily installed on any non-planar surface due to its conformal property, and this feature enhances its applicability in many areas. Moreover, in some specific applications, it is desirable and mandatory to provide protection of antenna from the unfriendly surroundings. Therefore, the present work focuses on the antenna with a dielectric cover and analyzes its effect on directivity, gain, and bandwidth at various superstrate air gaps. Two antenna models of single and dual elements are considered here separately, and both are conformal to the cylindrical surface. The antenna parameters are studied under varying superstrate gaps with equal intervals up to a quarter wavelength under fixed cylindrical curvature. It is noted that there is a significant improvement of 6% and 12% in bandwidth at quarter wavelength gap as compared to simple single and dual antenna models without dielectric loading, respectively. Also, both the calculated and measured results show the other important constructive effect of superstrate on the antenna performance.

1. Wong, K. L., Design of Nonplanar Microstrip Antennas and Transmission Lines, 16-35, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999.
doi:10.1002/0471200662.ch2

2. Singh, P. K. and J. Saini, "Effect of varying curvature and inter element spacing on dielectric coated conformal microstrip antenna array," Progress In Electromagnetics Research M, Vol. 58, 11-19, June 2017.
doi:10.2528/PIERM17022012 Google Scholar

3. Bahl, I., P. Bhartia, and S. Stuchly, "Design of microstrip antennas covered with a dielectric layer," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 30, No. 2, 314-318, March 1982.
doi:10.1109/TAP.1982.1142766 Google Scholar

4. Singh, P. K. and J. Saini, "Reconfigurable microstrip antennas conformal to cylindrical surface," Progress In Electromagnetics Research Letters, Vol. 72, 119-126, January 2018.
doi:10.2528/PIERL17111002 Google Scholar

5. Cooray, F. R. and J. S. Kot, "Analysis of radiation from a cylindrical rectangular microstrip patch antenna loaded with a superstrate and an air gap using the electric surface current model," Progress In Electromagnetic Research, Vol. 67, 135-152, 2007.
doi:10.2528/PIER06080304 Google Scholar

6. Meagher, C. J. and S. K. Sharma, "A wideband aperture-coupled microstrip patch antenna employing spaced dielectric cover for enhanced gain performance," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 58, No. 9, 314-318, September 1982. Google Scholar

7. Yang, H. Y. and N. G. Alexopoulos, "Gain enhancement methods for printed circuit antennas through multiple superstrates," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 35, No. 8, 860-863, July 1987. Google Scholar

8. Zaiki, A., N. A. M. Affendi, N. A. L. Alias, and N. M. Razali, "Flexible antennas based on natural rubber," Progress In Electromagnetics Research C, Vol. 61, 75-90, 2016. Google Scholar

9. Wong, K. L., Y. T. Cheng, and J. S. Row, "Resonance and radiation of a superstrate loaded cylindrical rectangular microstrip patch antenna with an air gap," Proc. Natl. Sci. Count. ROC (A), Vol. 17, 365-371, September 1993. Google Scholar

10. Singh, P. K. and J. Saini, "Performance analysis of superstrate loaded cylindrically conformal microstrip antenna on the varying curvature for Wimax applications," International Journal of Microwave and Optical Technology, Vol. 11, No. 6, 406-412, November 2016. Google Scholar

11. Singh, P. K. and J. Saini, "Mutual coupling analysis of dielectric coated microstrip antennas mounted on the cylindrical surface with varying inter element spacing," IEEE International Conference on Signal Processing and Communication, No. 3, 100-105, December 2016. Google Scholar

12. Balanis, C. A., Antenna Theory, Analysis and Design, 3rd Ed., 811-876, John Wiley & sons, 2005.

Dr. Prasanna Kumar Singh

Dr. Jasmine Saini