EXERCISE 2.

Dipole Based Array Antenna (200 pts + 20 pts extra credit) OBJECT: Using SEMCAD, design an array antenna composed of two half-wave dipole antennas operating in the frequency 2 GHz ~ 3 GHz. The dipole antennas are fed by an equal amplitudes (1 volt), half wavelength apart and 180o out of phase. PROCEDURE: 1. Design a half wavelength dipole antenna operating at 2 GHz + (last 2 digit of your student number 0.01). (Let me know if you need your student number). For example, if the last two digit is 24, 2+0.24=2.24 GHz. Assume diameter of the dipole antenna is infinitesimally small. 2. Plot S11 of the dipole antenna at the center frequency 0.5 GHz. Is the resonant frequency what you expected? 3. Plot radiation patterns for 3D, vertical () and horizontal () planes. 4. Add one more antenna in the SEMCAD geometry, as shown below.

5. Plot S11 and radiation patterns as described in steps 2 and 3. 6. Explain the differences in the results obtained from steps 3 and 5.

Extra credit: Perform the procedure 1-6 using 2 mm diameter cylinders to model more realistic dipole antenna instead of a thin wire antenna. In this case, use Table 5-2 in the Stutzman and Thiele book for the length adjustment. Explain if the results are better when cylinders are used and why.