Determination of Location of Circular Microstrip Antenna Feed point
due to Effective Feed Criteria
N.Yu. Fadeeva, V.N. Mitrokhin
Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, 2-nd Baumanskaya str., 5, Russia
The paper describes the main parameters for the model of circular microstrip radiator transmission line. The position of effective
feed point for radial line and circular microstrip antenna is defined.
Index Terms— Microstrip antenna, radial transmission line, natural wave
I. INTRODUCTION
М ICROSTRIP ANTENNAS are the most popular antenna
devices. Although there are a lot of works devoted to the
research in this field [1] – [4]. But microstrip antennas still
have many unsolved problems such as: low level of admissible
radiation power, indirect radiation of feed line, narrow
operating frequency bandwidth in some cases. This is the most
common for radiators of simple geometric shape, especially
circular ones. To increase antenna bandwidth it is necessary to
take special measures, e.g. promptly perform its feed.
Microstrip antennas feed may be performed in several
ways [5] – [8]. Coaxial feed is one of the most popular and
easily performed ways [9] – [11]. Matching of coaxial probe
and microstrip antenna is the main problem especially when a
thin substrate is used (the substrate height is less than one
tenth wave length). It should be pointed out that feed point
location does not always coincide with geometric patch center.
The main goals of the paper are determination of optimization
criteria and choice of feed point location for circular radiator.
II. CHOICE OF CRITERION FOR DETERMINATION OF FEED POINT
LOCATION
Feed point location may be determined due to criterion of
minimal reflection coefficient for antenna input on exact
frequency or within frequency bandwidth [12]. In this case
reflection coefficient is determined either experimentally or
using full wave method. Even after the determination of the
best location for feed point due to this criterion is performed,
extra matching of coaxial probe and antenna within frequency
bandwidth is needed.
Feed point location for circular microstrip antenna may also
be determined due to effective feed criterion. Within effective
feed the antenna amplification criterion reaches its maximum.
Polar pattern is also maximal in perpendicular direction to the
patch surface. The use of transmission line method for circular
microstrip antenna analysis will allow not only to choose the
best feed point but also to develop the arrangements for
antenna matching and reducing its effective radius.
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III. TRANSMISSION LINE METHOD FOR CIRCULAR MICROSTRIP
ANTENNA ANALYSIS
Circular microstrip antenna model is represented by radial
transmission line which is determined by waveguide formed
by two parallel metal surfaces with homogeneous dielectric
between them. Electromagnetic waves in this waveguide
travel in radial direction and ring cross-section depends on
radial coordinate [13].
For each natural wave in this waveguide there is a critical
cross-section which is represented by a border between the
area with quasi-static field and area with wave field [14].
Natural waves in this waveguide become traveling after
certain critical cross-section. Besides natural waves of radial
transmission line include secondary sources in the form of
equivalent surface current on natural critical cross-sections.
This method allows to show field pattern in each point inside
radial waveguide in the form of superposition of quasi-static
and wave fields in this area [13].
Microstrip antenna may be simulated by dielectrically
loaded volume radial cavity with two perfectly conducting
electric walls (upper and lower) and perfectly conducting
magnetic cylindrical surface [9]. Substrate media is supposed
to be truncated by the boundaries of the patch (Fig. 1). All the
calculation are performed in case of: antenna diameter is equal
to wave length; substrate relative dielectric constant is 2.2 and
0.1 fraction of wave length in free space height. Side surface is
an aperture through which the radiation is spreading. With the
help of equivalence theorem side aperture may be
characterized by equivalent magnetic current with the
following density:
jsм  -2[n0 , Ea ] ,
where n0 – a unit vector of outward normal to aperture, E a –
an electric field vector on aperture. Equivalent electric current
density on the upper and lower parts of the strip is negligibly
small [9]. Ground surface is considered with the help of
mirror-image theory.
Aperture electric field vector can be determined using by
means of transmission line method. Let the source electric
current be “endless tenuous thread” situated in the point with
coordinates ρ=b, φ=0. Then equivalent magnetic current
density can be found as fellow:
 kV0  n 1
jsм   (1  i) J1 (kb) H1 (kaeff ) cos(m ') 
(2)

h
m 1 2

 [(k  ) m ]  i 
  m 2 kr m J m (kb) H m(2) (kaeff ) cos(m ')  0 ,
m  n 1   m [( k  ) kr ] 
where V0 – a potentials difference in a feeding device;
ξm(x)=Nm(x)/Jm(x); k –a wave number in the environment with
the parameters  a ,  a (absolute permittivity and permeability
of substrate), k    a a ;  krm – the radius of the critical
section of the eigen wave with m index; aeff – an effective
radius of the determined by edge effect:
a
1/ 2
 2h 
aeff  a 1  [ln( )  1, 7726] .

 a 2h 
Here a – a physical radius of the patch, h –a height of the
Fig. 1. Circular microstrip antenna model
substrate, ε – a relative permittivity of the substrate. The first
sum in the right part of the formula considers the contribution
of the waves with their critical sections below the feeding
source point; the second sum considers the waves with their
critical sections above the feeding source point.
As the plane height is very small and current density is
equal in z 0 direction, thread-like magnetic current can be
determined I м  hjsм .
Considered microstrip antenna may be represented as
circular slot with magnetic current I м , radiating to the free
space [9]. It is situated symmetrically on the plane xOy when
z=0. Radiation field is determined using vector potential
formulation
1 eikR Fig. 2. Polar pattern maximum in perpendicular direction to the circular patch

4 C
A м ( x, y, z )  I м ( x ', y ', z ') dl '. surface dependence from feeding source location. Firm line refers to
R transmission line model, dashed one refers to full-line method.
Here the coordinates with «´» symbol refer to source points
Q( x, y, z) , coordinates without «´»refer to P(x, y, z); R – IV. CONCLUSION
the distance between the point on the slot and observation Radial transmission line model of circular microstrip
point, dl' – an infinitely small part of frame system. antenna allows to determine the area of coaxial probe location
Density vectors of electric and magnetic fields may be for its effective feeding in case of small height of the substrate.
expressed through vector magnetic potential: Reflection coefficient analysis shows that: choswn feeding
E(r , ,  )  rotA м (r , ,  ); source location is not optimal from antenna matching point of
view. Additional arrangements for matching should be taken.
1
H(r , ,  )   [graddivA м (r , ,  )  k 2 A м (r , ,  )].
ia
Figure 2 shows dependence between polar pattern
maximum in the normal direction to patch surface and
feeding source location radius. The results obtained by means
of transmission line model and checked using FEM (Finite
Element Method). Polar pattern maximum is observed when
feeding source is located near kb=2,0, that is radial line
effective feed point [9].

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