HFSS Tutorial 1: Edge-fed Patch Antenna

Goal: design a microstripline edge-fed patch antenna operating at

2.425 GHz using a substrate with thickness 1.6 mm, . The
return loss must be less than 20 dB at 2.42 GHz.
Lessons learned:
• Basic geometry entry.
• Frequency sweep setup.
• Parameter sweep setup.
• Boundary setup.
• Lump port setup.
Bx

Wp
dx
y z
By Lp x dz substrate x  r =2.54 Bt
air

Lf

Wf

1. Insert a New Design

Project->Insert HFSS Design
2. Save it as tutorial1
File->Save as
3. Determine the approximate size of the patch.
, ,

4. Determine the line width of a 50 microstrip line.

The width is about 4.5 mm ( ) . Let the length be near quarter

1
 wavelength ( )

5. Determine the substrate size as where and

. is the thickness.
6. Determine the air box size where

7. Enter the above variables.

Project->Project Variables
8. Enter the substrate
Draw->Box
Enter position as ( ). Give it a name
“substrate”.
9. Assign material property to the substrate by creating a new
material by right click on the substrate.
10. Create the patch surface and name it “Patch”.
Draw->Rectangle
Enter the position and size as in 8.
11. Enter the feed line. Give it a name “feedline”.
Draw->Rectangle
The position is ( ), size is ( ).
12. Define the ground plane. The position is ( ), size
is ( ).
Draw->Rectangle
13. Define a surface for the lumped port at the end of the microstrip
line. The position is ( ), size is ( ).
Draw->Rectangle.
14. Define the air box.
Draw->Box
15. Assign PMC boundary to the substrate.
16. Assign PEC boundary to the patch, feedline and ground by right
click on them.
17. Assign Radiation Boundary to the air box.
2
18. Assign Lump Port to the port surface similarly.
19. Perform a simulation from 1 GHz to 3 GHz.
Analysis->Add Solution Setup
Set solution frequency to 3 GHz. Set Maximum Number of
Passes to 99.
20. Add Fast Sweep from 1 GHz to 3 GHz. Step size 0.01.
Setup1->Add Frequency Sweep
21. Perform simulation
Sweep->Analyze
22. Check simulation results. Check convergence.
Results->Solution Data
23. Plot and Smith Chart.
Results->Create Modal Solution Date Report.
24. Add Parametric Sweep for .
Optimetrics->Add->Parametric
25. Add Parametric Sweep for .
Optimetrics->Add->Parametric
26. Repeat 24 and 25 until satisfactory results are achieved.
27. The first solution is . However, from the
current distribution and radiation pattern, the excited mode is x-
directed, not y-directed.
28. Keep increase and steps 24 and 25.
29. Final result: .

Note about default boundary setting:

• Metal: finite conductivity.
• Dielectric: none.
• Outmost surface: PEC.

3
 S Parameter
0.00
Name X Y
Curve Info
m1 2.4150 -24.1468
dB(S(1,1))
Setup1 : Fast
-5.00

-10.00
dB(S(1,1))

-15.00

-20.00

m1

-25.00
1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00
Freq [GHz]

Radiation Pattern 1 Curve Info

0 dB(GainPhi)
Setup1 : Single
10.00 Freq='2.42GHz' Phi='0deg'
-30 30
dB(GainPhi)
Setup1 : Single
0.00 Freq='2.42GHz' Phi='90deg'
dB(GainTheta)
Setup1 : Single
-10.00 Freq='2.42GHz' Phi='0deg'
-60 60
dB(GainTheta)
Setup1 : Single
-20.00 Freq='2.42GHz' Phi='90deg'

-30.00

-90 90

-120 120

-150 150

-180

4
 S Parameter
0.00
Name X Y
Curve Info
m1 2.4150 -24.1468
m2 2.4180 -20.2851 dB(S(1,1))
Setup1 : Fast
$Lp='37mm' $Wp='74mm'
-5.00
dB(S(1,1))
Setup1 : Fast
$Lp='36.6mm' $Wp='120mm'

-10.00
dB(S(1,1))

-15.00

m2
-20.00

m1

-25.00
1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00
Freq [GHz]

0
Curve Info
10.00 dB(GainPhi)
-30 30
Setup1 : Single
Freq='2.42GHz' Phi='0deg'
0.00 dB(GainPhi)
Setup1 : Single
Freq='2.42GHz' Phi='90deg'
-10.00 dB(GainTheta)
-60 60
Setup1 : Single
Freq='2.42GHz' Phi='0deg'
-20.00 dB(GainTheta)
Setup1 : Single
Freq='2.42GHz' Phi='90deg'
-30.00

-90 90

-120 120

-150 150

-180

5
 S Parameter
0.00

-2.50 Wp=120mm

-5.00 Wp=110mm Curve Info

dB(S(1,1))
-7.50 Wp=100mm Setup1 : Fast
$Lp='36.6mm' $Wp='80mm'
dB(S(1,1))

Wp=90mm dB(S(1,1))
-10.00 Setup1 : Fast
$Lp='36.6mm' $Wp='90mm'
-12.50 Wp=80mm dB(S(1,1))
Setup1 : Fast
$Lp='36.6mm' $Wp='100mm'
-15.00
dB(S(1,1))
Setup1 : Fast
-17.50 $Lp='36.6mm' $Wp='110mm'
dB(S(1,1))
Setup1 : Fast
-20.00 $Lp='36.6mm' $Wp='120mm'

-22.50
1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00
Freq [GHz]