BANGLADESH UNIVERSITY OF PROFESSIONALS
FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
COURSE TITLE: MICROWAVE ENGINEERING AND ANTENNA LAB
ASSIGNMENT 03
COURSE CODE: ICE-3204
ASSIGNMENT-02
SUBMITTED TO
DR. MOHAMMAD JUNAEBUR RASHID SAIFUL ISLAM
PROFESSOR, DEPT. OF EEE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DEPT. OF
DHAKA UNIVERSITY ICT
BANGLADESH UNIVERSITY OF
PROFESSIONALS
SUBMITTED BY
NAME: UMME NAFISA AZNUM KOTHA
ID: 2154901047
SECTION: B
BATCH: BICE – 2022
EXPERIMENT NAME: MICROSTRIP ANTENNA FOR WI-FI 6 APPLICATIONS
INTRODUCTION:
The rapid evolution of wireless communication standards, particularly Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax),
has created a growing demand for antennas that are compact, efficient, and capable of operating
in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Microstrip patch antennas are widely favored in such
applications due to their low profile, ease of fabrication, and compatibility with PCB-based
designs. This project focuses on the design and simulation of a dual-band rectangular microstrip
patch antenna tailored for Wi-Fi 6 devices. Using CST Studio Suite, the antenna is optimized
through slotting and parameter tuning techniques to achieve enhanced impedance matching,
stable radiation, and sufficient gain across both frequency bands. The goal is to deliver a
practical, dual-band antenna solution suitable for integration in modern wireless routers, access
points, and IoT devices.
DESIGN SPECIFICATION:
SL Parameter Description Value
1 Wg Width of Ground 44 mm
2 Lg Length of Ground 41 mm
3 ht Depth of Ground 0.035 mm
4 Ws Width of Substrate 44 mm
5 Ls Length of Substrate 41 mm
6 hs Depth of Substrate 1.6 mm
7 Wp Patch Width 24 mm
8 Lp Patch Length 21.5 mm
9 Wf Feed Width 3 mm
10 Lf Feed Length 10 mm
11 Wc U-Slot Width (Front) 20 mm
12 Lc U-Slot Length (Front) 5.5 mm
SL Parameter Description Value
13 L2 U-Slot Width (Back) 22 mm
14 W U-Slot Length (Back) 5.5 mm
15 — Substrate Material FR-4
Summary of CST Simulation
The dual band microstrip patch antenna, intended for Wi-Fi 6 applications, was simulated using
CST Studio Suite 2018. The simulation setup was meticulously crafted to reflect the antenna's
real-world structure and accurately analyze its electromagnetic characteristics, including return
loss, gain, and radiation patterns.
Antenna Design
The antenna features a rectangular radiating patch with a centrally located U-shaped slot, placed
on an FR-4 substrate. The front side highlights the placement of the feedline and slot, engineered
to support dual-frequency operation at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The rear side incorporates a Defected
Ground Structure (DGS) beneath the patch, which improves impedance matching and enables
fine-tuning of the higher frequency band. The design was modeled using parametric variables in
CST, enabling straightforward adjustments of the patch dimensions, slot depth, and DGS shape
during the optimization phase.
Boundary Conditions
The simulation applied "Open (Add Space)" boundary conditions along all three axes (X, Y, and
Z). This configuration mimics an open, free-space environment, preventing unwanted signal
reflections at the simulation boundaries. Such an approach ensures more precise evaluation of
radiation characteristics, particularly in the Farfield region, thus improving the accuracy of the
simulated antenna performance.
PORT SETUP:
The antenna was energized using a Waveguide Port, which was attached to the microstrip
feedline at the bottom of the patch. This port was configured with an impedance of 50 ohms,
matching the typical impedance of coaxial cables used in real-world antenna systems. Acting as
the source of excitation in the simulation, the 50 Ω match is essential to ensure efficient power
transfer and to minimize signal reflections. An impedance mismatch at this point could result in
inaccurate return loss (S11) readings that do not truly reflect the antenna’s design performance.
Solver Type
The simulation was carried out using the Time Domain Solver, which is well-suited for
broadband applications like this dual-band antenna operating between 2.0 GHz and 6.0 GHz.
Automatic mesh refinement was activated to enhance precision, especially in critical areas such
as the feedline and U-slot. The Time Domain Solver calculates how electromagnetic fields
change over time and then uses Fourier transforms to extract frequency-domain results, including
return loss (S11) and radiation patterns. Mesh refinement ensures accurate modeling in regions
where field variations are most significant.
[Link] ANALYSIS
Return Loss (S11) –
The return loss (S11) reveals how well the antenna is impedance-matched to the feedline, which
is crucial for minimizing signal reflection and maximizing radiation efficiency. In the simulation
results over the 2–6 GHz range, two distinct resonance points are observed. The first, around 2.4
GHz, shows a deep dip to approximately –27 dB, indicating excellent matching and effective
radiation, making it ideal for 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi use. In contrast, the second dip, near 5.8 GHz, only
reaches around –3 dB, suggesting a poor match at that frequency. This higher reflection means
less signal is radiated and more is lost due to mismatch.
VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) –
VSWR is a key measure of how effectively the antenna is impedance-matched with the
feedline—values closer to 1 indicate better matching. The simulated VSWR results align with
the S11 findings. At 2.4 GHz, the VSWR is about 1.1, which indicates excellent matching and is
suitable for real-world Wi-Fi applications. In contrast, at 5.8 GHz, the VSWR rises sharply to
around 6.4, highlighting a significant impedance mismatch. This high VSWR suggests that most
of the input power at 5.8 GHz is being reflected rather than radiated, resulting in poor efficiency
at that frequency.
Gain
The antenna’s gain, which indicates how effectively it radiates energy in a specific direction
compared to an ideal isotropic source, was evaluated through simulation. At 2.4 GHz, the gain is
around 1.4 dBi—an adequate value for microstrip antennas used in Wi-Fi, offering a good
balance between coverage and directionality. At 5.8 GHz, the gain slightly improves to about 2.5
dBi, suggesting better directional performance. However, the advantage of higher gain at 5.8
GHz is diminished due to poor impedance matching (as seen in the S11 results), which reduces
the overall efficiency of radiation at that frequency.
Radiation Pattern
The radiation pattern illustrates how the antenna emits electromagnetic energy into its
surrounding space. At both 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz, the antenna exhibits broadside radiation with
symmetrical lobes, indicating that the energy is effectively radiated perpendicular to the patch
surface. At an angle of Theta 90°, the pattern is well-shaped and aligns with typical expectations
for microstrip patch antennas, confirming good directional radiation. However, at Phi 0°, while
the pattern shape remains consistent, the antenna’s overall performance is still affected by the
impedance mismatch observed earlier.
Surface Current
The surface current distribution illustrates how current flows over the patch when the antenna is
active. Simulated results show distinct current behavior at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. At 2.4 GHz,
strong currents are observed along the patch edges, which is characteristic of the fundamental
mode in rectangular microstrip antennas—indicating efficient performance at this frequency. At
5 GHz, the currents are mainly concentrated around the U-slot area, confirming its role in
generating a second resonant mode. However, the current distribution also suggests that the
resonance is not yet perfectly tuned to the intended 5 GHz band, which impacts efficiency.
Optimization Discussion
The optimization began by adjusting the patch length, as the initial first resonance was slightly
above 2.4 GHz, around 2.6 GHz. Increasing the patch length by 0.5 mm shifted the resonance
closer to the target frequency, improving the return loss to about –25 dB and lowering the VSWR
to roughly 1.1—indicating good impedance matching.
To achieve a second resonance near 5 GHz, a U-slot was added to the patch surface, which
generated an additional mode. However, this new resonance occurred at approximately 5.8 GHz,
slightly beyond the intended 5 GHz band. To improve this, both a U-slot and a Defected Ground
Structure (DGS) were used, which helped shift the higher resonance but introduced fluctuations
in the 2.4 GHz performance.
Since maintaining stable operation at 2.4 GHz was a priority, further tuning was limited to
prevent degradation in that band. Although the antenna partially meets dual-band requirements, it
is currently optimized mainly for reliable performance at 2.4 GHz. Additional refinement of the
slot and ground structure is needed to better align the second resonance with the 5.2 GHz band.
Overall, the process revealed the design trade-offs involved in dual-band tuning, where
improvements in one band can negatively impact the other. More precise geometry and DGS
adjustments will be essential for achieving balanced performance at both frequencies.
Conclusion
This project involved the design, simulation, and evaluation of a dual-band rectangular
microstrip patch antenna tailored for Wi-Fi 6, covering the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Developed
in CST Studio Suite, the antenna features a microstrip line feed, a U-slot in the patch, and a
defected ground structure (DGS) to support dual-frequency operation.
By carefully increasing the patch length, the first resonance was successfully tuned to 2.4 GHz,
achieving strong impedance matching with an S11 of approximately –25 dB and a VSWR of 1.1.
The antenna also displayed a well-formed broadside radiation pattern with stable gain at this
frequency, confirming its suitability for practical 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi applications.
Although the antenna generated a second mode around 5.8 GHz, it did not align perfectly with
the desired 5 GHz band. Attempts to adjust the U-slot and DGS helped shift this resonance
slightly, but also disturbed the 2.4 GHz performance. As a result, the current design is stable and
reliable at 2.4 GHz but requires further optimization for dual-band operation.
The project highlights the challenges of compact dual-band antenna design. Future
improvements using CST’s parameter sweep or optimization algorithms are recommended to
fine-tune the slot and ground structures for optimal dual-band performance suitable for modern
Wi-Fi 6 systems.
