Volume IV, Issue VIII, August 2015 IJLTEMAS ISSN 2278 - 2540

Design and Simulation of Microstrip Rectangular

Patch Antenna for Bluetooth Application
Tejal B. Tandel , Nikunj Shingala

Abstract — A design of small sized, low profile patch antenna The conductors used for patch are generally copper and
is proposed for BLUETOOTH applications at 2.4GHz gold of different shapes. In order to simplify mathematical
frequency with inset feeding technique. The patch is design analysis and to predict patch performance at resonance
with different parameters like return loss, VSWR, directivity frequency, conventional shapes like rectangular, square,
along two directions, radiation pattern in 2-D and 3-D, smith
circular etc. are generally preferred. Excitation of patch is
cart , impedance matching are simulated using CST
Microwave Studio simulation software. Designed antenna is done by using different techniques like inset feed, co-axial
simulated on FR4 substrate with loss tangent tanδ=0.02. The feed, aperture coupling etc.
proposed antenna based on co-axial feed configuration has
the maximum achievable bandwidth obtained about 818 In this paper, a compact size patch antenna is proposed
MHz (2.35-2.44 GHz) at -10 dB reflection coefficient which with dielectric substrate as FR4 with εr=4.4 and
corresponds to Bluetooth 2.4 GHz frequency band and the dimensions are based on resonant frequency. Various
maximum achievable directivity is 6.32 dBi. Simulation and attempts are made to adjust the dimensions of the patch to
measurement results are compared and discussed. improve the parameters like return loss, VSWR,
Index Terms: Transmission line model, CST, S-parameters,
directivity along θ, Ø directions, radiation pattern in 2-D
VSWR and 3-D, impedance matching using CST which is a high
performance full wave EM field simulator for arbitrary
I. INTRODUCTION 3D volumetric passive device modelling that takes
advantage of the familiar Microsoft Windows graphical
user interface. It integrates simulation, visualization, solid
T he BLUETOOTH devices technology provides short
range of wireless connections between electronic like
computers, mobile phones and many others thereby
modelling, and automation in an easy to learn
environment where solutions to your 3D EM problems are
exchanging voice, data and video. The rapid increase in quickly and accurate obtained. CST MICROWAVE
communication standards has led to great demand for STUDIO is a full-featured software package for
antennas with low real estate, low profile and size, low electromagnetic analysis and design in the high frequency
cost of fabrication and ease of integration with feeding range. It simplifies the process of inputting the structure
network. Microstrip patch antennas are widely used by providing a powerful solid 3D modelling front end.
because they are of light weight, compact, easy to Strong graphic feedback simplifies the definition of your
integrate and cost effective. However, the serious problem device even further. After the component has been
of patch antennas is their narrow bandwidth due to surface modelled, a fully automatic meshing procedure is applied
wave losses and large size of patch for better before a simulation engine is started. There are numerous
performance. and well-known methods to increase the band width of the
antennas including: the use of the substrate thickness [2],
To exchange the data over a short distance the use of low dielectric substrate [2], the use of various
communication a wireless technology called Bluetooth is impedance matching and feeding techniques [3]. Since the
used with in frequency range 2400-2485 MHz. So antenna first practical antennas were developed in early 1970’s,
is an essential device to transmit the data through interest in this kind of antennas was held in New Mexico
unguided media. In wireless communication applications [4]. Dual frequency operation of antenna is very necessary
the major constraints are size, weight and ease of in recent wireless communication system for some
installation of antennas. These constraints are overcome applications such as GPS, WLAN etc [5].
by using a low or flat profile Microstrip Antenna (MSA).
MSA is a simplest configuration of radiating patch of In transmission line model, the microstrip antenna is
different shapes on one side of dielectric material whose represented by two slots of width W and height h,
dielectric constant lies in 4< εr <12 and ground plane on separated by a transmission line of length L. Most of the
the other side. It is a narrow band wide beam antenna [6]. electric fields are reside in the substrate and parts of some
lines are in air. Since microstrip line is a non
Tejal B Tandel, Electronics and Communication Department,
homogeneous, it cannot support Transverse
Madhuben and Bhanu bhai Patel Institute Of Engineering, For Studies Electromagnetic Mode (TEM) of transmission and
And Research In Computer And Communication Technology, New V.V. because of phase velocities change in air and dielectric
Nagar, Anand, India. media, it can support quasi-TEM mode only. By
considering the fringing effect and wave propagation,
Shingala Nikunj, Electronics and Communication Department,
Madhuben And Bhanubhai Patel Institute Of Engineering, For Studies effective dielectric constant (εreff) is obtained rather than
And Research In Computer And Communication Technology, New V.V. dielectric constant (εr) whose value is slightly less than εr.
Nagar, Anand, India. The length of the patch is slightly less than λg/2, where λg

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Volume IV, Issue VIII, August 2015 IJLTEMAS ISSN 2278 - 2540
is guided wavelength in dielectric media (λ0/ reff ) and λ0 Wg = 6h + W
is free space wavelength to support TM10 mode[7].

II. ANTENNA DESIGN Patch Dimension: Ground Dimension:

Length (L) = 19.5 mm Length (Lg) = 39 mm
The proposed antenna is designed with the specifications
as Resonant frequency (fo) = 2.40 GHz, dielectric Width (W) = 23.5 mm Width (Wg) = 47 mm
constant (εr ) = 4.4, height (h) = 1.6 mm. The width and
effective length of the patch are given by the fallowing
formulas [1] and calculated values for above With above calculated values the antenna is simulated on
specifications are FR4 material with loss tangent of 0.02 using CST
software. The size of the antenna is 23.5 X 19.5 mm 2,
Step 1: Calculation of the width (W): the width of the which is suitable for Blue tooth communication. The inset
probe can carefully be inserted to reduce the radiation.
microstrip patch antenna is given by equation as [6]: Figure 1 shows the proposed structure of antenna using
c CST software.
w
 r 1
2 fo
2
Step 2: Calculation of effective dielectric constant (εreff):
equation (3.1) gives the effective dielectric constant as [6]:
1

 r  1  r 1 h 2
 reff   1  12 
2 2  W
Step 3: Calculation of the effective length (Leff): equation Figure 1.CST Generated Antenna Model
[6]
(3.2) gives the effective length as :
c Figure 2 shows the Return Loss (S11) plot of the
Leff  proposed design. The minimum return loss which we are
2 fo  reff getting for this design is -27 dB for the band centred
around 2.4 GHz.
Step 4: Calculation of the length extension (ΔL): equation
(3.3) gives the length extension as [6]:

W 
  reff
 0.3   0.264 
L  0.412h  h 
W 
  reff  0.258    0.8 
 h 
Step 5: Calculation of the actual length of the patch (L):
the actual length is obtained by subtracting the length
extension from the effective length as:
L = L eff - ∆L
Step 6: Calculation of the ground plane dimensions (L g
and Wg) Figure 2. Simulated reflection coefficient [S11] of the proposed
microstrip patch antenna
The transmission line model is applicable to infinite
ground planes only. However, for practical considerations, The simulated impedance bandwidth of about is
it is essential to have a finite ground plane. It has been achieved 818 MHz (2.35-2.44 GHz) at -10 dB reflection
shown in many open literatures that similar results for coefficient (VSWR≤2) shown in figure 3. The reflection
finite and infinite ground planes can be obtained if the coefficient value that is achieved at this resonant
size of the ground plane is greater than the patch frequency is equal to -27 dB. This reflection coefficient
dimensions by approximately six times the substrate value suggests that there is good matching at the
thickness all around the periphery. Hence, for this design, frequency point below the -10 dB region. It covers the
the ground plane dimensions would be given as: frequency band for the Bluetooth application i.e.. 2.35-
Lg = 6h + L 2.44 GHz

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Volume IV, Issue VIII, August 2015 IJLTEMAS ISSN 2278 - 2540

Figure 3 Bandwidth of the proposed design (S11 in dB)

Figure 6 E-plane radiation pattern for 𝑓𝑟 =2.359 GHz

Radiation pattern is a graphical depiction of the relative

field strength transmitted from or received by the antenna. Figure 7 shows the VSWR (voltage standing wave ratio)
The antenna should not have the side lobes and back lobes plot for the designed antenna. The value of VSWR should
ideally. We cannot remove them completely but we can lie between 1 and 2. SWR is used as an efficiency
minimize them. Figure 4 and figure 5 shows the simulated measure for transmission lines, electrical cables that
3-D radiation pattern with directivity of 6.32 dBi and gain conduct radio frequency signals, used for purposes such as
3.62 Db for proposed antenna configuration at the connecting radio transmitters and receivers with their
resonating frequency of 2.4GHz. antennas, and distributing cable television signals. Here
the value of the VSWR for the proposed microstrip patch
antenna is 1.089 at the specified resonating frequency.
The achieved values of reflection coefficient and VSWR
are small enough and frequency is closed enough to
specified frequencies bands for 2.4 GHz WLAN
application.

Figure 4 Directivity (3D) of the proposed design

Figure 7 VSWR of the proposed design

Figure 8 shows the smith chart of the proposed antenna. It

is a graphical representation of the normalized
characteristic impedance. The Smith chart is one of the
most useful graphical tools for high frequency circuit
Figure 5 Gain (3D) of the proposed design applications. The goal of the Smith chart is to identify all
Figure 6 show the simulated E-plane (phi=90º, possible impedances on the domain of existence o the
theta=varying) and radiation patterns for proposed reflection coefficient.
antenna configuration at the resonating frequency of 2.4
GHz.

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Volume IV, Issue VIII, August 2015 IJLTEMAS ISSN 2278 - 2540
The performance of the designed antenna can be
understood by measuring parameters like reflection
coefficient (S11), VSWR and input impedance (Zin)
measurement using Smith Chart. They have been
measured by using N9912A FieldFox Analyzer model
(Up to 3GHz) of Vector Network Analyzer. Figure 10
shows testing of fabricated antenna using Agilent
Network Analyzer .

Figure 8 Smith Chart of the proposed design

III. FABRICATION AND TESTING

The transformation of geometric shapes on a mask to the

surface of FR4 wafer can be done by using
photolithography and the steps involved in this process
are wafer clearing, barrier layer formation, photoresist
application, soft banking, mask alignment, exposure and
development and hard banking. Below Figure 9(a) and
(b) shows the ground plane negative of proposed antenna,
front photographic views respectively.

Figure 10 The Set up for the testing of Fabricated MPA

Both Simulated and Fabricated antenna Designs are
compared here in Table 5.4. Comparison table shows the
change in the results slightly due to fabrication errors,
Figure 9. (a)Ground plane of the Fabricated MPA
losses due to SMA connector etc.

Table: 1 Comparisons of Simulated & Fabricated

Proposed antenna design

Design Frequency
Minimum Return loss in dB
(GHz)
Simulated 2.35975 -27
Fabricated 2.48076 -18.24

IV. CONCLUSIONS

This paper presents design procedure of a inset fed

microstrip rectangular patch antenna at 2.4 GHz for
Bluetooth application. Main parameters such as return
loss (S11), input impedance (Z0), gain and radiation
patterns have been studied and are agreed with measured
Figure 9 (b) Front View of the Fabricated MPA results. This antenna can be used for Bluetooth application
and it is fully utilizes the entire frequency range 2.35-2.44

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Volume IV, Issue VIII, August 2015 IJLTEMAS ISSN 2278 - 2540
GHz. The resonant frequency of proposed antenna is
occurred at 2.4 GHz and also VSWR is 1.088 which is <
2.

REFERENCES

[1]. R. Garg, P. Bhartia, I. Bahl, and A. Ittipiboon, Microstrip

Antenna Design Handbook, ArtechHouse, 2001.
[2]. C. Li, Q. Zhang, Q. Meng, L. Sun, J. Huang, Y. Wang, X.
Zhang, A. He, H. Li, Y. He, and S. Luo, A high-performance
ultra-narrow bandpass HTS filter and its application in a
wind-profiler radar system, SupercondSci Technol 19 (2006),
S398 –S402.
[3]. G. Zhang, M.J. Lancaster, and F. Huang, A high-temperature
superconducting bandpass filter with microstrip quarter-
wavelength spiral resonators, IEEE Trans Microwave Theory
Tech 54 (2006), 559 –563.
[4]. M. Amman, Design of Microstrip Patch Antenna for the 2.4
Ghz Band, Applied Microwave and Wireless, pp. 24-34,
November /December 1997.
[5]. Rajeev Shankar Pathak, Vinod Kumar Singh, Shahanaz
Ayub, “Dual Band Microstrip Antenna for GPS/ WLAN/
WiMAX Applications”, IJETED, ISSN: 2249-6149, Issue 2,
Vol. 7, November 2012.
[6]. C.A. Balanis, “Antenna Theory Analysis and Design,” Third
edition, Wiley, 2005.
[7]. Howell, J. Q., “Microstrip Antennas,” IEEE AP-S Int. Symp
digest, pp177-180, 1972.

Tejal B Tandel is working as assistant

professor in electronics and
communication department in
Madhuben And Bhanubhai Patel
Institute Of Engineering For Studies
And Research In Computer And
Communication Technology, New V.V.
Nagar, Anand, India. Her areas of interest are Microwave
Engineering,
Photo Antenna etc. She has several research papers
to her name.

Mr. Shingala Nikunj is working as

assistant professor in electronics and
communication department in
Madhuben And Bhanubhai Patel
InstituteOf Engineering For Studies And
Research In Computer And
Communication Technology, New V.V.
Nagar, Anand, India. His areas of interest are image
processing, Signal processing, Digital circuits, etc. He has
several research papers to his name.

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