ANSYS HFSS – MICROSTRIP

PATCH ANTENNA
EXAMPLE - RECTANGULAR PATCH ANTENNA
• Microstrip Rectangular Patch Antenna
• This example is intended to show you
how to simulate and analyze a
rectangular patch antenna using
ANSYS Electronics Desktop

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RECTANGULAR PATCH ANTENNA GEOMETRY
• Rectangular Inset-Fed Microstrip Patch Antenna Geometry

– Analyze geometry from 8 GHz to 12 GHz

– Antenna is resonant at 10 GHz
– 50 ohm Port Impedance

Microstrip Length
Substrate Width = 2.3cm

Patch Width = 1.19cm = 0.914cm

Gap = Substrate
0.05cm Microstrip Width εr =2.2
Thickness= 31 mil
= 0.243cm

Inset Length = 0.295cm

Patch Length = 0.97cm

Substrate Length = 2.93cm

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HFSS: GETTING STARTED
• Launching ANSYS Electronics Desktop 2017.2
– To access HFSS, click the Microsoft Start button,
• Select Programs > ANSYS Electromagnetics > ANSYS Electromagnetics Suite 18.2 > ANSYS Electronics
Desktop 2017.2
– Opening the Project
• In Electronics Desktop, click the icon on the Standard toolbar, or select the menu item File > Open
• Browse to the folder containing the file Rectangular Inset-Fed Patch Antenna.aedt and select Open

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HFSS: GETTING STARTED
– Setting Tool Options
• In order to follow the steps outlined in this tutorial, verify that the following tool options are set:
• Select the menu item Tools > Options > General options
 Expand HFSS and select Boundary Assignment
• Use Wizards for data input when creating new boundaries:  Checked
• Duplicate boundaries/mesh operations with geometry:  Checked
• Expand 3D Modeler
 Click Drawing
• Automatically cover closed polylines:  Checked
• Edit properties of new primitives:  Checked
 Expand Display
• Click Rendering and set Default transparency to 0.7
• Click History Tree
 Select last command on object/submodel select:  Checked
 Click the OK button

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CREATING THE DESIGN
• Review Solution Type
– Select the menu item HFSS > Solution Type
– Note that the following is selected
 Driven Terminal
 Network Analysis
 Click the OK button

• Review Model Units

– Select the menu item Modeler > Units
– Note that the following is selected
 Select Units: cm
 Click the OK button

Note: The model contains variables

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SETTING THE SUBSTRATE MATERIAL
• Set substrate Material
– Select the object named sub from the modeler tree
– Right click and select Assign Material
– From the Select Definition window, click the Add Material Button
 For the Material Name type: My_sub
 For the Value of Relative Permittivity type: 2.2
 Click the OK Button to create the material
– Click the OK button to assign the material to Default Material

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ASSIGNING BOUNDARY CONDITIONS: FINITE CONDUCTIVITY

• Assigning Finite Conductivity Boundary Condition

– Select the menu item Edit > Select > Objects
– Select the menu item Edit > Select > By Name
• Select the sheets named: patch, Ground
– Select the menu item HFSS > Boundaries > Assign > Finite Conductivity…
– Click the OK button

Finite Conductivity Boundary

Highlighted

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BOUNDARY CONDITION: CREATE OPEN REGION WITH PML
Select the menu item HFSS > Model > Create Open Region

– Under Region, Operating Frequency: 10 GHz

– Under Boundary, select PML
– Click the OK button
– PML layers will be automatically created
– Select the menu item View > Fit All > Active View or CTRL+D

Note: Perfectly Matched Layer (PML) is a

fictitious lossy anisotropic material which
fully absorbs electromagnetic fields

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PORT SETUP
• Create Lumped Port Excitation
– Select the menu item Edit > Select > Objects
– Select the menu item Edit > Select > By Name
 Select the objects named: port
 Click the OK button
– Select the menu item HFSS > Excitations > Assign > Lumped Port
 Port Name: 1
 Conductor: Ground
– Use as Reference:  Checked
 Highlight Selected conductors:  Checked
 Click the OK button

Note: The ground plane is the conductor

usually used as reference making the
other conductors on the list to be the
signal conductors by default.

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ANALYSIS SETUP
• Creating an Analysis Setup
– Select the menu item HFSS > Analysis Setup > Add Solution Setup…
 Click the General tab:
– Solution Frequency: 10 GHz Add Solution Setup
– Maximum Number of Passes: 30
– Max Delta S: 0.02
 Click the Options tab:
– Select order of basis functions: Mixed Order
– Enable the iterative solver:  Iterative Solver
 Click the OK button

Note: Mixed Order is advised

for first time simulation

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ANALYSIS SETUP
• Adding a Frequency Sweep
– Select the menu item HFSS > Analysis Setup > Add Frequency Sweep…
 Select Solution Setup: Setup1 Alternatively, in the Project Manager Window,
Add Sweep
 Click the OK button open the ‘Analysis’ branch and right-click on
‘Setup1’ to ‘Add Frequency Sweep’
– Edit Sweep Window:
 Sweep Type: Interpolating
 Frequency Setup Type: Linear Step
– Start: 8 GHz
– Stop: 12 GHz
– Step Size: 0.01 GHz
 Click the OK button

Why Interpolating sweep?

Interpolating – Adaptively determines discrete solve
points using the adaptive mesh
– Matrix Data at every frequency in sweep
– Fields at last adaptive solution

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ANALYZE

• Save Project
– Select the menu item File > Save As
 Filename: hfss_patch_ant Validate Analyze All
 Click the Save button

• Model Validation
– Select the menu item HFSS > Validation Check
 Click the Close button
 Note: to view any errors or warning messages,
use the Message Manager

• Analyze
– Select the menu item HFSS > Analyze All

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POST PROCESSING: 2D RECTANGULAR PLOT, S-PARAMETERS

• Create Reports
Select the menu item HFSS > Results > Create Terminal Solution Data Report > Rectangular Plot
 Solution: Setup1: Sweep
 Domain: Sweep
– Category: Terminal S Parameter
– Quantity: St(patch_T1, patch_T1)
– Function: dB
– Click New Report button and then Close

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POST PROCESSING: FIELD OVERLAY, E-FIELD
– Hide Box
• Return to the 3D Model Window HFSS > 3D Model Editor
• View > Visibility > Active View Visibility
• Uncheck the box in front of RadiatingSurface to hide the box.
– Create Field Overlay
• Select the menu item Edit > Select > Faces
• By moving the mouse, graphically highlight the top face of the substrate
• Select the menu item HFSS > Fields > Plot Fields > E > Mag_E
 Solution: Setup1:LastAdaptive
 Quantity: Mag_E
 Click the Done button
• Select the menu item HFSS > Fields > Modify Plot Attributes
 In the Select Plot Folder Window, click the OK button
 E-Field Window:
• Click the Scale tab
• Scale: Log
• If real time mode is not checked, click Apply and then Close
• To Animate the field plot:
 Select the menu item HFSS > Fields > Animate
• Click the OK button

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POST PROCESSING: 2D RADIATION PATTERN, GAIN
– Create a Radiation Setup
• Select the menu item HFSS > Radiation > Insert Far Field Setup > Infinite Sphere
 Name: ff_2d
 Phi: (Start: 0, Stop: 90, Step Size: 90)
 Theta: (Start: -180, Stop: 180, Step Size: 2)
• Click the OK button
– Create Report
• Select the menu item HFSS > Results > Create Far Fields Report > Radiation Pattern
 Solution: Setup1:Last Adaptive
 Geometry: ff_2d
• Category: Gain
• Quantity: GainTotal
• Function: dB
• Click New Report button
 Click Close button

 Rename the plot as

‘Radiation Pattern 1’

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POST PROCESSING: 3D RADIATION PATTERN, GAIN
– Create a Radiation Setup
• Select the menu item HFSS > Radiation > Insert Far Field Setup > Infinite Sphere
 Name: ff_3d
 Phi: (Start: 0, Stop: 360, Step Size: 5)
 Theta: (Start: 0, Stop: 180, Step Size: 2)
• Click the OK button
– Create Report
• Select the menu item HFSS > Results > Create Far Fields Report > 3D Polar Plot
 Solution: Setup1:Last Adaptive
 Geometry: ff_3d
• Category: Gain
• Quantity: GainTotal
• Function: dB
• Click New Report button
 Click Close button

 Rename the plot as

‘3D Polar Plot 1’

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POST PROCESSING: 3D FIELD OVERLAY, RADIATION PATTERN
– Create Field Overlay: 3D Radiation Pattern Overlay
• Return to the 3D Model Window HFSS > 3D Model Editor
• Select the menu item HFSS > Fields > Plot Fields > Radiation Field
 Overlay Radiation Field Window:
• 3D Polar Plot 1:  Visible
• Transparency: 0.6
• Scale: 0.25
• Click Apply and then Close

• Note: the Mag_E field overlay visibility can be turned on/off from the Project Manager Window

The Mag_E field overlay The Mag_E field

visibility on overlay visibility off

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POST PROCESSING: 2D FIELD OVERLAY, RADIATION PATTERN
– Item HFSS > Results > Create Far Fields Report > Radiation Pattern
– New Report Window:
• Solution: Setup1:Last Adaptive
• Geometry: ff_2d
 Category: Gain
 Quantity: GainTotal
 Function: dB
• Under the Families tab:
 For Phi, click Edit, Select values to select 0deg
 Click New Report button and then Close
– Create Field Overlay: 2D Radiation Pattern Overlay
• Return to the 3D Model Window HFSS > 3D Model Editor
• Select the menu item HFSS > Fields > Plot Fields > Radiation Field
 Overlay Radiation Field Window:
• Gain Plot 1:  Visible
• Click Apply
• Click Close

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ANALYTIC DERIVATIVES TUNING
– Analytic Derivatives allow the designer to obtain understanding of the sensitivity of the model to
changes in geometry and/or material properties
– Copy the Design
• In the Project Manager window
 Right-click on design named “Patch_Antenna (Driven Terminal)” and choose Copy
 Right-click on project named “hfss_patch_ant” and choose Paste
 Right-click on design “Patch_Antenna1 (DrivenTerminal)”, choose Rename and type
“Patch_Antenna_Derivatives”
– Double left-click on the Dependent Solve Setup
• In Project Manager Window, double-click on the solution setup
“Patch_Antenna_Derivatives (DrivenTerminal)” > Analysis > Setup1
• This will bring up a dialog to edit the Properties
– Select the Derivatives tab
• Check the following parameters for derivative calculation:
 PatchY
Note: Derivative feature produces
 InsetDistance derivatives of S-parameters and
related matrix quantity such as Y or Z
parameters. The derivatives are
computed for an offset range of 10%.

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ANALYTIC DERIVATIVES TUNING: SCATTERING PARAMETERS
– Analyze
• Select the menu item HFSS > Analyze All
– Create a new results Report
• Select the menu item HFSS > Results > Create Terminal Solution Data Report > Rectangular Plot
 Solution: Setup1:Sweep
 Domain: Sweep
 Derivative: All
• Category: Tune Terminal S Parameter
• Quantity: TuneSt(patch_T1, patch_T1)
• Function: dB
• Click New Report button
 Click Close button
• Select the menu item HFSS > Results > Tune Reports
• Move Slider bars to tune

Note: If you introduce large offset, you might see

unphysical results. This depends on the sensitivity
of the model to the parameter you change.

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ANALYTIC DERIVATIVES TUNING: RADIATION PATTERN
– Create a new Report
• HFSS > Results > Create Far Fields Report > Radiation Pattern
• New Report Window:
 Solution: Setup1: Last Adaptive
 Geometry: ff_2d
 Derivative: All
• Category: Gain
• Quantity: Tune_GainTotal (All)
• Function: dB
• Click New Report button and Close
• Select the menu item HFSS > Results > Tune Reports
• Move Slider bars to tune

Note: Tuning can be

done for all result types.

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