Antenna Lab

Lab Tutorial #1
Dipole Antenna

Objectives
This tutorial covers the followings:

• Understand the theory of dipole antenna

• Implement dipole antenna in Ansys HFSS
• Define and assign design parameters

• Simulate the antenna to analyze performance metrics

• Optimize the dipole antenna for improved performance

1 Theoretical background
A dipole antenna is one of the simplest and most widely used types of antennas. It consists of two
conductive elements placed end-to-end, with a small gap between them where a feed is connected.
Figure 1a illustrates the dipole antenna. The dipole antenna radiates electromagnetic waves when
an alternating current is applied to its feed point. The basic parameters of dipole antenna are:

• Wavelength (λ):
c
λ= (1)
f
where c is the speed of light (≈ 3 × 108 m/s), and f is the operating frequency.
• Resonant Length: for a half-wavelength (λ/2) dipole, the length of each arm of the antenna
is approximately λ/4, making the total length around λ/2.

• Radiation Pattern: A half-wave dipole has a doughnut-shaped radiation pattern with

maximum radiation perpendicular to the antenna axis.
• Input Impedance: The input impedance of a half-wave dipole is close to 73.13 Ω, which is
ideal to be fed with 75 ohm feeder.

L G

(a) (b)

Figure 1: Dipole antenna: (a) mounted on a pole, (b) dimensions annotation of the dipole antenna

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2 Setting up a dipole antenna in Ansys HFSS
In this section, a perfect electrical conductor (PEC) with a diameter of 1 mm was used to design
a half-wavelength dipole antenna that resonates at 1.5 GHz. The antenna was simulated using
Ansys HFSS. In reference to figure 1b, the following equations where used:
λ
L= (2)
2
where L is the dipole length in meter.
L−G
A= (3)
2
where A is a single pole length in meter, and G is the gap between the poles (assume it as 1 mm).

The full video of the procedure is available on YouTube. Scan the QR-code to
access the video or click the following link: https://youtu.be/ISHmL4JQXAM

3 Optimization Tips
If the antenna does not perform as expected, adjust parameters such as length, width, and feed
gap. You may use HFSS’s optimization tools to refine these values based on desired performance.

Questions
1. What is a dipole antenna?
- Explain the structure and function of a dipole antenna.
2. How does a dipole antenna radiate electromagnetic waves?
- Describe the process by which a dipole antenna generates and radiates EM waves.
3. What is the typical length of a half-wave dipole antenna?
- Explain why a half-wave dipole is commonly used and how its length is determined.
4. How do you calculate the wavelength of an electromagnetic wave?
- Define the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and the speed of light.
5. Why is the half-wavelength formula used for dipole antennas?
- Discuss the importance of resonance in dipole antennas and why the half-wavelength di-
mension is effective.
6. What is the radiation pattern of a half-wave dipole antenna?
- Describe the typical radiation pattern shape and the directions in which the antenna radiates
most strongly.
7. What is the input impedance of a half-wave dipole antenna?
- Explain the typical impedance of a dipole and its significance for matching with other circuit
components.
8. How does antenna length affect the impedance of a dipole?
- Discuss how impedance varies with antenna length and why correct tuning is important.
9. What is the bandwidth of a dipole antenna, and how is it influenced?
- Define bandwidth and how a dipole’s bandwidth might change with different factors.
10. What are the main advantages of using a dipole antenna?
- List benefits such as simplicity, ease of construction, and radiation pattern.
11. What are some common applications of dipole antennas?
- Identify where dipole antennas are used, from broadcasting to Wi-Fi.

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12. How does the surrounding environment affect a dipole antenna’s performance?
- Discuss how factors like nearby objects, ground reflections, or mounting height can impact
performance.
13. What types of materials are suitable for constructing a dipole antenna?
- Describe common materials used and the importance of conductivity in antenna perfor-
mance.

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