Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium, Beijing, China, March 2327, 2009

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Design and Implementation of a Smart Antenna Using Butler Matrix for ISM-band
A. M. El-Tager and M. A. Eleiwa Electronics Department, M. T. C., Cairo, Egypt

Abstract In this paper, an ISM-band smart antenna system of 4-element microstrip linear
array antenna with Butler matrix beamforming network is designed, analyzed and implemented using microstrip technology in completely planar structure without suering from power losses or poor antenna pattern characteristics. The performance of this smart antenna system is analyzed and the beamforming features are monitored as function of geometrical antenna and Butler matrix parameters in the ISM-band at frequency from 2.4 to 2.48 GHz. Smart antenna eciency and directivity are improved and its side lobe level is enhanced which make it very promising. 1. INTRODUCTION

Recently, switched beam smart antenna systems are investigated to improve the performance of wireless networks. Antenna arrays using microstrip fabrication technology are versatile in terms of their geometrical shapes and implementations. The popularity of Butler matrix as a beamformer in a switched multiple beam smart antenna is due to many advantages. First, it can be implemented easily using hybrids and phase shifters. Second, the generated beams are orthogonal of the Woodward-Lawson type and have narrow beamwidth and high directivity. Third, it has minimum path length and number of components compared to other uniform excitation beamforming networks. Fourth, it has a high and almost constant beam crossover level that does not change with frequency. This allows a good coverage pattern and full system gain at any point in the coverage area. It can achieve continuous beam scanning without any mechanical motion in the scanning process [1]. Several strategies for Butler matrix implementation are published. First, reective Butler matrices are introduced in [2], but they need circulators, which add complexity to the circuit. Second, high-permittivity substrates are used to reduce the structures size [3], but this creates diculties in implementation and measurements. Third, hybrid [4] and multilayered implementations [5] are not easy as single layer structures. Therefore, planner implementation was very attractive for researchers [69]. This paper presents a planar design, simulation and implementation of a smart antenna system for wireless networks using microstrip antenna array with beamforming network in the ISM-band at 2.45 GHz. An antenna array is proposed in Section 2. A Butler matrix beamforming network is proposed in Section 3. The overall performance of both is presented in Section 4.
2. DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF LINEAR MICROSTRIP ANTENNA ARRAY

The proposed 4 4 beamforming smart antenna (BFSA) consists of a linear antenna array and a beamforming network. The later consists of four directional couplers, two 0 dB cross over, and phase shifters. The objective is to design, optimize and implement this BFSA on a planar low loss teon substrate. Rogers RT/Duroid 5880 (r = 2.2, tan = 0.0009, and h = 0.157 cm) is chosen for best antenna performance. Initially, a single rectangular patch with inset-fed stripline matching is designed and optimized using 3D modeling, namely HFSS, to be the antenna radiator element. The nal patch size is W = 48.4 mm and L = 40.025 mm. The fabricated patch is shown in Figure 1(a). A very good agreement is achieved between measured and simulated S parameters as in Figure 1(b). Then a 4-element linear array is designed with an initial inter-element spacing of 0.5 and variable phase between elements based on the butler matrix outputs, using PCAAD software. The optimum inter-element spacing is found to be 0.45. The linear array is realized using microstrip technology and optimized using ADS/Momentum simulation, which is based on the method of moments. Table 1 summarizes the results obtained from the implemented single patch and the array compared to required specications. Thus, it is clear from these results that the 4-element antenna array fullls most of required specications. Some other specications such as beam steering in one of four directions and beam coverage will be achieved after the design of Butler matrix beamforming network.

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PIERS Proceedings, Beijing, China, March 2327, 2009

-10 S11 [dB ] -15 -20 -25 -30 -35 -40 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 Frequency [GHz] 4 4.5 5

(a)

(b)

Figure 1: (a) Fabricated antenna, (b) Measured S-parameters (continuous) versus simulated results (dotted).

Table 1: Achieved single patch and linear array parameters compared to required specications. Bandwidth [GHz] Required specs. Achieved single patch specs. Achieved array specs. 2.4 : 2.48 2.443 : 2.475 2.35 : 2.55 Directivity [dB] 12 7.5422 11.389 Eciency [%] > 90 90 92 Gain [dB] > 10 dB 7.0244 11.0452 Beam Width 30 99.1 25.2

3. DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF BUTLER BEAMFORMING

In this section, a multiple-beam forming network using Butler matrix is designed and realized with microstrip technology to feed the antenna array of the previous section at frequency 2.45 GHz. A 4 4 butler matrix creates a set of 4 orthogonal beams in space by processing the signal from the 4 antenna elements of an equi-spaced linear array. The Butler matrix is realized using four directional couplers, two 0 dB cross couplers, and phase shifters. Its components are designed and fabricated separately as shown in Figure 2. In addition, measured results are compared to simulated ones as shown in Table 2, achieving good agreement, which validates both design and simulation methodologies. The four-beam smart antenna generates four orthogonal beams to cover 120 area. Careful design and optimization procedure are performed to obtain accurate phase shift () results between ports as summarized in Table 3.

Table 2: Simulated versus measured results for both quadrature and cross couplers. Quadrature 3 dB Coupler Simulated Measured 30.904 19 31.425 18 3.005 3.5 3.086 3.8 0 dB Cross Coupler Simulated Measured 24.956 10.7 38.036 23.7 24.942 28.9 0.085 0.6

Return Loss (S11 ) [dB] Isolation (S41 ) [dB] S21 , S43 [dB] S31 , S42 [dB]

Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium, Beijing, China, March 2327, 2009 Table 3: Summery of phase shift results between dierent ports of the optimized Butler network. P5 62.718 28.478 16.951 72.832 P6 16.935 107.768 117.045 28.739 P7 28.747 117.055 107.760 16.925 P8 72.850 16.946 28.456 62.717 45 135 135 45

573

P1 P2 P3 P4

(a)

(b)

Figure 2: (a) Fabricated directional microstrip coupler, (b) Fabricated cross coupler. 4. VERIFICATION OF THE ANTENNA ARRAY WITH ITS BEAMFORMING NETWORK

The nal layout of the optimized antenna with its beamforming network is shown in Figure 3. Beamforming characteristics of the proposed smart antenna system are obtained for uniform amplitude distribution. 2-D polar far eld patterns are obtained and plotted in Figure 4, which achieve the targeted specications.

Figure 3: Final layout of the proposed antenna array with its beamforming network.

Furthermore, smart antenna eciency and directivity are improved, while minimizing its size to cope with the required constraints. Finally, the implemented antenna is also compared to similar recent published implementation in Table 4. This comparison proves that this work enhances many parameters which shows an outstanding performance of the proposed antenna due to design and optimization eorts.

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PIERS Proceedings, Beijing, China, March 2327, 2009

=45

=-135

=135

=-45

Figure 4: Simulated E-theta (in) and E-phi (out) beam patterns of the proposed BFSA at dierent using ADS. Table 4: Proposed BFSA versus other similar published ones. Features Centre Frequency Physical size cm cm Microstrip substrate Ref. [9] 2.4 GHz 24.2 18.5 r = 3.38, h = 0.51 mm tan = 0.0027 S11 = 23 dB @ fo BW = 0.54%; (13 MHz) Uniform ------84 12 42 14 dB 8 dB Proposed Antenna 2.45 GHz 21.3 18.6 r = 2.2, h = 1.57 mm tan = 0.0009 S11 = 33 dB @ fo BW = 1.31%; (32 MHz) Uniform 11.0452 11.389 97.4 14.3 47.8 14 dB 8 dB Enhancement ---11.5% ---43.4% 146% ---------15.9% 19.2% 13.8% ----

Radiator Element Amplitude taper Antenna Gain Antenna Directivity Spatial scan coverage Maximum scan angle @ = 45 @ = 135 SLL: @ = 45 @ = 135

Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium, Beijing, China, March 2327, 2009 5. CONCLUSIONS

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This paper presents a planar design, simulation and implementation of a smart antenna system using microstrip antenna array with Butler beamforming network for wireless applications in the ISM-band at 2.45 GHz. A linear antenna array is initially designed using PCAAD software. Then, realized and optimized using ADS Momentum simulation. The Beamforming/feeder network is designed using a 4 4 Butler matrix, and realized using 4 quadrature hybrids, 2 phase shifters and 2 crossover circuits. To verify modeling and simulation procedures, the main basic elements such as patch antenna, directional coupler, and cross coupler are fabricated and measured. Very good agreement between measurements and simulations is obtained which validates the design. Finally, the microstrip antenna array and the Butler matrix feed network are simulated and optimized to achieve the required parameters in the ISM-band. Smart antenna parameters such as eciency, directivity and maximum scan angle are improved, while minimizing the physical size. This validates antenna parameters and shows that it has an outstanding performance compared to what is found in corresponding published literatures.
REFERENCES

1. Hansen, R. C., Phased Array Antennas, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1997. 2. Shelton, J. P. and J. K. Hsiao, Reective Butler matrices, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagations, Vol. 27, No. 5, 651659, September 1979. 3. Corona, A. and M. J. Lancaster, A high-temperature superconducting Butler matrix, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, Vol. 13, No. 4, 38673872, December 2003. 4. Daneshmand, M., R. R. Mansour, P. Musavi, S. Choi, B. Yassini, A. Zybura, and M. Yu, Integrated interconnect networks for RF switch matrix applications, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 53, No. 1, 499507, January 2006. 5. Bona, M., L. Manholm, J. P. Straski, and B. Svensson, Low-loss compact Butler matrix, IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 50, No. 9, 20692075, September 2002. 6. Hayashi, H., D. A. Hitko, and C. G. Sodini, Four-element planar Butler matrix using halfwavelength open stubs, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Component Letters, Vol. 12, No. 3, 7375, March 2002. 7. Nron, J. S. and G. Delisle, Microstrip EHF Butler matrix design and realization, ETRI e Journal, Vol. 27, No. 6, December 2005. 8. Nord, H., Implementation of 8 8 Butler matrix in microstrip, Diploma Thesis, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, 1997. 9. Wu, L., Planar multi-beam antenna for W-LAN, Duisburg, November 2007.