W2A.

Time Domain Responses of Printed UWB

Antennas
Yiqiong Shi, Sheel Aditya, and Choi Look Law
Positioning and Wireless Technology Center
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Abstract Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology deals with Here, we first introduce the design of two different
generating, transmitting and receiving short pulses of sub- printed UWB antennas: the printed hexagonal antenna [7]
nanosecond duration. Thus, the time domain response of an and the printed inverted cone antenna [8]. Frequency domain
antenna for UWB applications is as important as the traditional and time domain measurements are carried out on the two
frequency domain antenna parameters. This paper discusses types of antennas. Results and observations are presented
the time domain responses of two types of printed UWB
antennas. It is shown that a smaller antenna with a shorter followed by discussion and conclusion.
distance between the different radiating points can produce
cleaner output waveforms. Furthermore, it is demonstrated II. ANTENNA DESIGNS
that the time domain behavior of the antennas can be predicted
based on frequency domain measurement using Inverse The first antenna design used is the Co-Planar
Fourier Transform. Waveguide (CPW)-fed printed hexagonal antenna as shown
in Fig. 1. 1 mm-thick FR4 (r, = 4.4) substrate is used. CPW
Keywords ultra-wideband, time domain response, printed guiding structure and end-launch SMA connectors are used
antenna for excitation. The length of the antenna is 31 mm and the
width of the antenna is 22 mm. The angle 0 is 25 degree.
I. INTRODUCTION The CPW feed geometry has the signal line width of 1.5 mm
and the feed line gap of 0.2 mm on each side of the signal
Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology has received line to form a transmission line with 50 Q characteristic
worldwide attention since the allocation of the 3.1-10.6GHz impedance.
frequency spectrum by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) in Feb., 2002 [1, 2]. UWB technology
deals with generating, transmitting and receiving short ^ w
W
pulses of sub-nanosecond duration. Antennas for UWB use I-k---

must meet demanding performance specifications. Other

than the traditional frequency domain parameters used in
narrow band antenna designs such as impedance matching,
gain and radiation pattern, attention should also be paid to
the time domain response in designing UWB antennas. The
time domain behavior of different types of 3D or planar 0
UWB antennas has been discussed in the literature [3]. L
However, printed antennas are preferred for many
applications. Printed antennas have the advantages of small

]l
size, low profile and low fabrication cost over the 3D
antennas. This paper discusses the time domain response of
two types of printed UWB antennas. Different designs of
printed UWB antennas have been proposed recently [4-6].
The emphasis of this paper is in investigating and analyzing - - s

the different time domain behavior of different types of
printed UWB antennas. It is well known that antennas with
larger aperture normally have higher gain. On the other
hand, it is noticed in this study that printed UWB antennas
with smaller dimensions result in shorter and cleaner output
pulses, which makes it easier for receiver to distinguish
between two adjacent pulses.
Fig. 1 (PW-fed printed hexagonal antenna
The second antenna design used is the CPW-fed printed
inverted cone antenna as shown in Fig. 2. 0.5 mm-thick FR4
(6r = 4.4) substrate is used. CPW guiding structure and end-
launch SMA connectors are used for excitation. The CPW
feed geometry is the same as that for the previous design.
The height of the feed segment is 5mm. The radiating

0-7803-9282-5/05/$20.00 ©2005 IEEE ICICS 2005

153
element is composed of a half disc with radius of 15mm and
an isosceles right triangle.
-40-
III. MEASUREMENT RESULTS
The two antennas mentioned above were fabricated in
pairs and frequency domain measurements were carried out -aso0
0)50
2 4 5 8 10 12 14
using a high frequency vector network analyzer. A pair of Frequency (GHz)
identical CPW-fed printed UWB antennas was measured / UUU I

face to face at a free space distance of 20 cm. The measured

S21 for printed hexagonal antennas and printed inverted cone -2000-__
antennas is shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, respectively. 0)
X -4000

The impulse responses of these different antenna pairs 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

are calculated as the Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) Frequency (GHz)
of the measured S21. The impulse response of the printed Fig. 4 S21 of printed inverted cone antennas
hexagonal antennas and printed inverted cone antennas are
shown in Fig. 5 and 6, respectively. It should be n ni?.

0.01 F

0 006

0.004 F

u) -------

1.3 14 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8

Time (sec) x 10-8
Fig. 5 Impulse response: hexagonal antennas

X 10-3
I11

-20

-40
40
5
1-0 -60 -4

-Ou 3
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Frequency (GHz)
?Annn

-2000 n II ,I
1.3 14 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9
S -4000 Time (sec) x 10-8
-D
Fig. 6 Impulse response: inverted cone antennas
56000
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Frequency (GHz)
Fig. 3 S21 of printed hexagonal antennas noted that the impulse response of a pair of printed
hexagonal antennas has only one peak, while the impulse
response of a pair of printed inverted cone antennas has two
peaks.

154
 IJ~~~~~~~~~~I
The time domain measurements were carried out

\:/
using a high frequency sampling oscilloscope. Each pair of
identical antennas was measured face to face at a free space 3
distance of 20cm with the input pulse shown in Fig. 7. The 2
output pulses measured with printed hexagonal antennas and
printed inverted cone antennas are shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 0

9, respectively. It can be seen that the output waveform

measured with a pair of printed hexagonal antennas is .1

similar to the first order differentiation of the input 2

waveform, while the output waveform measured with a pair -3
of printed inverted cone antennas shows two differentiated -4 -I
pulses in succession. -5
IV. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 0 0.2 04 06 08 1
Time (sec) X 10-S
The different impulse responses and the measured time Fig. 9 Output pulse: inverted cone antennas
domain outputs of the two types
,
of printed UWB antennas can be explained as follows. The
0.8 pulse radiates from the printed antennas as the pulse passes
0.7 from the feed segment onto the radiating element and again
as the pulse reaches the end of the radiating element. If the
distance from the end of the feed segment to the end of the
radiating element is small, as for the inclined edge of the
04
.0 printed hexagonal antenna, the two pulses radiated from the
E0.3 antenna are close to each other. On the other hand, if the
02. distance between the two radiating points is large, as for the
circular edge of the printed inverted cone antenna, the two

I~~~~
01
0 pulses are farther away from each other, which results in two
ni distinct radiated pulses and more ripples in the output
-U
0 02 04 06 08 1 waveform.
Time (sec) x 10-8
Fig. 7 Input pulse used in time domain measurements
Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between the
x103 frequency domain and the time domain measured results.
The impulse response, i.e. the IFFT of frequency domain
measured result, of the printed hexagonal antennas has only
one peak. The measured time domain output waveform of
this type of antenna corresponds to a single radiated pulse.
The impulse response of the printed inverted cone antennas
has two peaks. The output waveform of this type of antenna
corresponds to two radiated pulses. Thus, the time domain
behavior of the printed UWB antennas can be related to
antenna dimensions and can be predicted based on frequency
domain measurement.

I.
REFERENCES
-2 r,
0 02 04 06 08
Time (sec) x 10 8 [1] FCC News Release, "New Public Safety Applications
Fig. 8 Output pulse: hexagonal antennas and Broadband Internet Access among Uses Envisioned
by FCC Authorization of Ultra-Wideband Technology,"
14 Feb 2002.
[2] FCC 02-48, "Revision of Part 15 of the Commission's
Rules Regarding Ultra-Wideband Transmission
Systems," First Report & Order, Washington DC,
Adopted 14 Feb 2002, Released 22 April 2002.

155
[3] Z. N. Chen, X. H. Wu, H. F. Li, N. Yang and Y. W.
Chia, "Considerations for Source Pulses and Antennas in
UWB Radio Systems," IEEE Transactions on Antennas
and Propagation, Vol. 52, pp. 1739-1748, Jul. 2004.
[4] S. H. Choi, J. K. Park, S. K. Kim and J. Y. Park, "A New
Ultra-Wideband Antenna for UWB Applications," IEEE
Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 40, pp.
399-401, Mar. 2004.
[5] C.-D. Zhao, "Analysis on the Properties of a Coupled
Planar Dipole UWB Antenna," IEEE Antennas and
Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 3, pp. 31 7-320, 2004.
[6] T. Yang and W. A. Davis, "Planar Half-Disk Antenna
Structures for Ultra-Wideband Communications," IEEE
Antennas and Propagation Society Symposium, Vol. 3,
pp. 2508-2511, Jun. 2004.
[7] D. H. Kwon and Y. Kim, "CPW-Fed Planar Ultra-
Wideband Antenna with Hexagonal Radiating
Elements," IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society
Symposium, Vol. 3, pp. 2947-2950, Jun. 2004
[8] S.-Y. Suh, W. L. Stutzman and W. A. Davis, "CPW-Fed
PICA," Provisional Patent.

156