Vivaldi Antenna for Medical Applications

Design, Modelling and Analysis of Microstrip-Fed Vivaldi Antenna

Bikash Ranjan Behera

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Patna Campus
Patna, Bihar, India
bikash.r.behera@ieee.org

Abstract— In this paper, Microstrip-Fed Vivaldi Antenna for

the Medical Applications have been presented. During the course Vivaldi Antenna
of time, the antenna was made to resonant in between 400 MHz-3
GHz with possibility of achieving in trends of Medical Microwave
Imaging. As a result of which the requirements of working with
the Lower Frequency are achieved where the Antenna witnessed
Gain of around 11.77 dBi at an Highest Level of Frequency. With
regard to this Equivalent Circuit Modelling of it is done, which
satisfies the main motives of working in MICS Band as specified
Body Worn Devices Implantable Devices
by Medical Device Radiocommunications Service as set aside by
the US FCC for the needs of diagnostics and therapeutic medical
implants. All major Simulation’s has been carried by CST-MWS
and there is a use of Rogers RT 5870 Substrate. II. DESIGN OF PROTOTYPES
The Prototype consists of an exponentially tapered slot cut
Keywords—Biomedical, Electromagnetic Modelling, FCC,Gain, into an thin sheet of metal. It can also be manufactured out of
MICS Band, MedRadio. metalized dielectric substrate with exponentially tapered slot
in the metallisation. A Circular Slotline Cavity is connected to
I. INTRODUCTION narrow end of the tapered slotline (flare) with a short length of
The FCC has created the Medical Implant Communication slotline [5] & Equivalent Circuit Analysis [6] as in Figure-1 &
Service (MICS) in 1999 in the response to a petition for rule Dimensions of Constructional Parameters in Table-I.
making by [Medtronic, Inc.] to permit uses of an mobile radio
device, implanted in a patient, for transmitting data in support
of the diagnostic and/or therapeutic functions associated with
an implanted medical device [1].
The Medical Device Radiocommunications Service is a
specification and communication spectrum created for and set
aside by U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for
Devices operating on an MedRadio includes the phenomenal
cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators, neuromuscular stimulators,
and for the drug delivery systems [2]. As of an February 2016,
communications spectrum for these and other similar devices
is set aside at various points in the 400 MHz frequency band, (a) (b)
as well as for 2360-2400 MHz band, though specifically for
Medical Body Area Network (MBAN) devices [3]. This types
of specification as supersedes, incorporates previous based on
specification called Medical Implant Communication Service
(MICS) [4].
In this paper, the authors have designed the Antenna in an
way where it resonates in appropriate band without failing in a
circumstance of poor performances. Also the main focus was
to follow the MICS Band with the perspectives of its working. (c)
Depending upon the results & extracted behaviour, the authors
will move as in course of Future Scope:
Fig. 1. Basic Structure of Prototype. (a) Top-View. (b) Bottom-View.
(c) Microstrip Feed and Stub Detail.
 In accordance to design them, certain guidelines [7] must
be followed as:
1. The flare height should be greater or equal to a
half-wavelength at minimum operating frequency.
2. The flare length should be greater than or equal to
a wavelength at minimum operating frequency.
3. The beamwidth decreases & directivity increases
as the flare length is increased.
4. To decrease (increase) input impedance, decrease
(increase) the slotline width.
5. Taper factor as defined [8] influences impedance
match and beamwidth.
6. The cavity diameter should be of approximately a Fig. 2. Impedance V/s Frequency Characterstics of the Prototype.
sixth of the effective wavelength of the slotline at
2fmin.
7. The stub radius should be approximately a sixth
of the effective wavelength of the microstrip line
at 2fmin.

Table-I
Constructional Parameters of the Prototype.

Constructional Parameters Dimensions in mm

Flare Height, Hf 82.44
Flare Length, Lf 157.4
Height of Conductor, Hc 104.9
Cavity Diameter, Dc 12.33
Distance from Cavity to the Centre of Microstrip 0.333
Coupler, Smc Fig. 3. S11 Characterstics of the Prototype.
Length of Microstrip Coupler, Lmc 12.33
Length of Tapered Microstrip Line, Lmt 34.40
Width of Tapered Microstrip Line at the Port, 2.338
Wmt
Length of Slotline, Ls 0.667
Width of Slotline, Ws 0.473
Radius of the Microstrip Stub, Rs 9.704
Starting Angle of Microstrip Stub, ߠs 90o

Angle of Microstrip Stub, ߠ 80o

III. EXPLORATION OF OUTCOMES

After having theoretical explanations, all the results have
been extracted by using a FDTD Domain Solver .Here we will
find the as following parameters
1. Impedance V/s Frequency (as in Figure-2).
2. S11 Characterstics (as in Figure-3).
3. VSWR (as in Figure-4).
4. Gain V/s Frequency (as in Figure-5).
5. Radiation Pattern (as in Figure-6,7,8).
6. L-C Matching Circuit (as in Figure-9,10).
Fig. 4. VSWR Characterstics of the Prototype.
The Vivaldi antenna is described as frequency independent
antenna. In general practice the minimum frequency is limited
by the flare height and circular cavity diameter. The maximum
frequency is limited to by the slotline width feeding the flare.
The slotline width also determines the input impedance of the
prototype.This would satisfy it’s major course of action for the
case of Multiple Resonating Frequencies Antenna.
 Fig. 5. Gain V/s Frequency Characterstics of the Prototype. Fig. 8. Radiation Pattern Characterstics of the Prototype for the case of
Maximum Frequency i.e. 3 GHz.

Fig. 6. Radiation Pattern Characterstics of the Prototype for the case of Fig. 9. L-C Matching Circuit Combination-I for Minimum Frequency (400
Minimum Frequency i.e. 400 MHz. MHz) as L= 0.178 nH and C= 6.23 pF.

Fig. 7. Radiation Pattern Characterstics of the Prototype for the case of Center Fig. 10. L-C Matching Circuit Combination-II for Maximum Frequency ( 3
Frequency i.e. 1.75 GHz. GHz as L= 0.55 nH and C= 3.3 pF.

The Prototype has end-fire radiation pattern. It can produce Additional Combinations:
a symmetric beam in both the E-plane and H- plane, over a
wideband, provided that the taper profile, flare length, flare 1. At 400 MHz, L= 0.113 nH and C= 1.13 pF
height, substrate height, cavity diameter & as an the dielectric
constant are calculated correctly. The above form of Radiation 2. At 1.75 GHz, L= 0.873 nH and C= 1.12 pF
Pattern clearly suggests that the Prototype as usually would be
3. At 1.75 GHz, L= 0.121 nH and C= 2.71 pF
satisfying aspect of Medical Applications as without which the
objective can’t be achieved within the mentioning of MMIC 4. At 3.00 GHz, L= 0.237 nH and C= 5.21 pF
Analysis in Figure-9 & Figure-10 respectively.
 A Parametric Study is a series of simulations where one or
more parameters of the problem are varied to investigate the
sensitivity of the solution’s w.r.t Constructional Parameters as
shown in Figure-11.
Fig. 11. S11 Characterstics for the Prototype Obtained After Doing the
Parametric Variation.
As the results of various parameters has been extracted but
the author has tabulated Technical Findings of Prototype with
Estimated Performances in Table-III.
Table-III
Estimated Performances of Prototype
Parameters Values
Bandwidth Range 400 MHz – 3 GHz
Gain 11.77 dBi
Resonating Frequencies MICS Band, MedRadio
IV. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE
In this paper, the author has designed Vivaldi Antenna for
Medical Applications. It has been observed that the prototype
provides good Bandwidth, Directivity, Gain and sustained on
amount of Radiation Pattern. This was necessary because for
the cases of Medical Applications. The Prototype as produces
resonating frequencies at 400 MHz to 3 GHz for the Medical
Applications, 2-4 GHz for S-Band as of certain occupancies.
Further it is observed or noticed that Prototype is suitable for
Medical or Microwave Imaging Applications, relishing scopes
of Body Worn Antenna’s and Implantable Antenna’s, as this
could be as extended for MICS Band and MedRadio. In lieu to
these, Split Ring Resonators (SRR) as can be altered to obtain
Frequency Notching so as to cover different aspects for the
applications in the case of Wireless Communication Domain
for Medical Purpose. As this is the preliminary approach of
designing, but the author has decided or taken up path where
these can be exclusively used for detailed take ups, upon
which fabricated prototypes would be revealed.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author wants to thank Mr. Priyadarshi Suraj, working as
an Assistant Professor, Department of ECE for his consistent
support, motivation & valuable remarks on various technical
aspects of the work. The author also extent gratitude to other
faculty members of department and management personnel’s
of the institute in turning the work into reality.
REFERENCES
[1] “Medical Device Radiocommunications Service (MedRadio)” by FCC,
Retrieved 24 Feburary 2016. Available:
https://www.fcc.gov/general/medical-device-radiocommunications-
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