Home / Examples / Electromagnetic Analysis [Hertz] / Example 6: Patch Antenna

Example 6: Patch Antenna

General

The characteristics of a patch antenna are analyzed.
The return loss characteristics (S₁₁) at the feeding port are solved.
Unless specified in the list below, the default conditions will be applied.
The output of field data is switched off.
That reduces the size of results file.

[How to Reduce the Calculation Time]

Analysis Space

Item	Settings
Analysis Space	3D
Model Unit	mm

Analysis Condition

Item	Settings
Solver	Electromagnetic Analysis [Hertz]
Analysis Type	Harmonic Analysis
Options	Field Data to Save: Don't save *

(*) In this session, we are interested in the return loss characteristics only and the field data is not needed. Therefore, Don't save is selected.
That reduces the size of results file.

Harmonic Analysis tab and Open Boundary tab are set as follows.

Tab	Setting Item	Settings
Mesh	Element Type	2nd-order Element
	Multigrid/Adaptive Mesh Method	Select [Apply adaptive meshing].
	Frequency-Dependent Meshing	Reference Frequency: 10x109 [Hz] Select [The conductor bodies thicker than the skin depth constitute the boundary condition]. There are no conductive solid bodies in this analysis model. Therefore the setting above is irrelevant.
Harmonic analysis	Sweep Type	Select [Linear Step by Division Number]
	Sweep Setting	Minimum: 1×109 [Hz] Maximum: 10x109 [Hz] Division: 200
	Frequency Sweep	Select Fast Sweep S-parameter Tolerance: 1x10-3
	Input	1.0 [W]
Open Boundary	Type	Absorbing Boundary
Open Boundary	Order of Absorbing Boundary	1st-order

Model

Antenna pattern (Metal) is created on a circular substrate (sub).

It is covered with the hemispherical air (AIR). The open boundary (OPEN) is set to the hemisphere.

The imprinting body is set to the feeding point, where the port boundary condition is set. The bottom face of the substrate (sub) is set with the electric wall boundary condition.

Body Attributes and Materials

You may give the thickness to METAL in the body attribute. That does not affect the simulation.
(Related information: Analysis Condition, Electromagnetic Analysis tab, and [Take into account thickness of face/edge electrode])

Body Number/Type	Body Attribute Name	Material Name
0/Solid	AIR	000_Air *
1/Sheet	METAL	003_Ag *
2/Solid	sub	006_Glass_epoxy *
3/Sheet	METAL	003_Ag *
4/Sheet	Imprinting body

(*) Available from the material DB

Boundary Condition

The bottom face and side of the substrate (sub) are set with [Electric Wall] of the outer boundary condition, forming a ground electrode.

Boundary Condition Name/Topology	Tab	Boundary Condition Type	Setting
PORT/Face	Electric	Port	Integral Path: Set Path1 Reference Inpedance: Select Specify, 50 Ω Number of Precalculated Modes: 5 Number of Modes Used in the Actual 3D Analysis: Automatic Select Modes: None
OPEN/Face	Electric	Open Boundary	Select on the open boundary tab of the analysis condition setting.
Outer Boundary Condition	Electric	Electric wall

Results

S-parameter S11 at the feeding point is shown below.

It is matched at about 5.6 GHz.

How to Display
On the [Results] tab , click ▼ at the side of [Show Characteristics Chart]. Click [S/Y Parameters] on the submenu.

The radiation pattern and efficiency of the antenna at 5.59 [GHz] are shown below.

How to Display
On the [Results] tab , click ▼ at the side of [Show Characteristics Chart]. Click [Directivity Graph] on the submenu.
See [[Simple Mode] Electromagnetic Waves Directivity] for more information.