2020 IEEE International Symposium on

Antennas and Propagation and North America

Radio Science Meeting (AP-S 2020)

5-10 July 2020 Montréal, Quebec, Canada.

Presentation Title
Short Distance Transmission Enhancement
by Baffles

Presented by
Ruckkwean Tuchjuta
Hirokawa Labolatory
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Tokyo Institute of Technology
 Short-Distance Transmission Enhancement by Baffles for a Slot Pair on Parallel Plate
Waveguide

T. Ruckkwaen *, T. Tomura, and J. Hirokawa

Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan

Short-distance communication using radial line slot array antennas is presented (T. Tomura et al.,
IEICE Tech. Report, AP2018-156, pp.29-32, Jan. 2019). The antennas suffer from the reduction
in transmission power due to the multiple reflection in the near-field region (T. Tomura et al.,
IEICE general Conf. B-1-48, Mar. 2019). This study adopts baffles to improve the short-distance
transmission between the two antennas.

A circularly-polarized slot pair surrounded by two perfect electrical conductor baffles is shown
in Fig. 1. To include the mutual coupling between slot pairs in the y-direction, periodic boundary
walls are assigned. Dielectric (r=2.16) is filled for the parallel waveguide. The transmission of
the models with and without the baffles are compared for various heights of the baffles at the
center frequency of 5.8 GHz using HFSS. The height of the baffles is determined as 12 mm and
the baffle width is 3 mm. The length and the thickness of a slot is 20.57 mm and 0.3 mm
respectively. The width and the height of the waveguide are 34 mm and 13.76 mm respectively.

Scattering matrix for various distances between the two antennas with and without the baffles is
simulated by HFSS. Fig. 1 (b) shows the transmission of the models with and without the baffles
between the two antennas. The transmission, which is the sum of outputs to port 3 and port 4, in
the model with the baffles is larger than that without the baffles. When the distance is 60 mm,
S21 is about 3 dB and S11 about -30 dB in the model with baffles. S41 corresponds to the cross
polarization in the slot pair, which is caused by the baffles and should be reduced. As the future
study, the number of the slot pairs will be increased and the matching slot pair will be introduced.

Baffles (PEC Walls)

Port 3
Port 4
z
S31 & S41 [dB]

y PMC Slot Pair

x
PBW
PMC
Port 1
Port 2

Distance [mm]

(a) (b)

Figure 1 (a) Slot Pair with Baffles (b) S31 and S41 for various distances
 Background

Short-distance communication using radial line slot array (RLSA) antennas,

see Fig. 1, is presented (T. Tomura et al., IEICE Tech. Report, AP2018-156, pp.29-32,
Jan. 2019). The operating frequency of the antenna is at 5.8 GHz. The antenna
generates circular polarization.
In this study, we are interested in the application of wireless power transfer
using two identical RLSA antennas for transmitting and receiving, see Fig. 2. The
reception zone is in non-far region. The transmission distance is up to 30 mm.
The full-wave simulation result between two identical RLSA antennas shows
the highly-rippled transmission level (Fig. 3) which is not the desired characteristics
of wireless power application. The causes of this fluctuation are multiple reflection
between the transmitting (Tx) and receiving (Rx) antennas, as well as the internal
and external antenna mutual coupling.
The aim of this study is to suppress the ripples and increase the transmission
level of the RLSA antenna.

4 turn RLSA

Fig. 1 Radial line slot array antenna

 Fig. 2 Tx-Rx transmission scenario

Fig.3 Transmission characteristics between two identical RLSA antennas

 Transmission Enhancement Using Baffles

As we did mentioned before, the ripple is partly influenced by the internal or

external antenna mutual coupling. One way to suppress mutual coupling between
each slot pair is to add the so-called “baffle” structure. The baffle is a kind of metal
wall (here we use PEC wall) which behaves like a mirror. This render the
environment around a slot pair similar to that of infinite array.

1. Slot pair design without baffles

First we have to design the slot pair without baffle. Fig.4 show a HFSS model
for a single slot pair. The design procedure is summarized as follows,
1) Slot spacing is set at 𝜆⁄4 (theoretical value) vertically and horizontally
2) Slot length is designed to control radiation power about 50% (S21 =-3 dB)

3) Slot spacing is again adjusted in accordance with slot length to control reflection and
axial.

Fig. 5 show the designed reflection and axial ratio which are within standard criteria.

Rad
PBW

Port 1

PMC
Port 2
PBW
PBW = Periodic Boundary Wall PMC
Rad = Radiation Boundary
PMC = Perfect Magnetic Boundary

Fig. 4 Simulation model for a single slot pair

 Fig. 5 Axial ratio and reflection characteristics

2. Slot pair design without baffles

I have designed an isolated slot pair in the last section. Based on the design
of the last section, baffle walls can be designed as follows,
1. Add baffle walls to the designed single slot pair

2. Design the wall thickness and spacing in Tx radiation only

3. Simulate transmission for various wall height values.

Fig. 6 shows the HFSS simulation model for a slot pair with baffles.

Baffles (PEC Walls)

Rx
Port 3 Port 4
Baffle
PMC (PEC wall)
PMC Rad
PBW PMC
PBW Rad

Port 1 PMC
Port 2
Port 1 Port 2

Baffle Height Tx
Baffle Thickness
PBW = Periodic Boundary Wall
Rad = Radiation Boundary
PMC = Perfect Magnetic Boundary

Fig.6 Simulation model for the slot pair with baffles

 Fig. 7 shows the simulation result of baffle height = 12 mm and wall thickness
= 3 mm. It is evident that adding baffles (red-line) increases transmission level.
However, Cross polarization (S41), see Fig. 8, which is an undesired component is high.
This is caused by the addition of baffles. The addition of baffles degrades axial ratio.
As a result, we have high cross polarization component. Unfortunately, Low axial
ratio for the slot pair with baffle is difficult to design. Furthermore, the ripple issue
still remain. Therefore, the findings show that the addition of baffles is not a
promising method.
S31 & S41 [dB]

Distance [mm]

Fig.7 Transmission characteristics comparison

Baffles (PEC Walls)

Rx
Port 3 Port 4

PMC Rad

PBW Rad

PMC

Port 1 Port 2

Baffle Height Tx
Baffle Thickness

Fig. 8 Tx-Rx transmission model

 Transmission Enhancement Using Rotational
Dependence

In this part we will investigate the effect of rotation of the RLSA antenna on
transmission characteristics. It is useful to mention that the transmission
characteristics of two antennas is affected by the mutual coupling between those
antennas.
Fig. 9 and 10 show the aperture field distribution of 2 turn and 4 turn RLSA
antennas respectively. It can see seen that the aperture distributions of both
antennas exhibit directionally dependent field excitation, i.e.; field excitation is
strong in a certain direction which is indicated by the straight-dashed line.

Radiation
boundary Direction of input
waveguide

Radiation
boundary

Fig. 9 Aperture field distribution of 2 turn RLSA

Radiation
boundary Direction of input
waveguide

Radiation
boundary

Fig. 10 Aperture field distribution of 4 turn RLSA

 Based on the aperture field distribution in Fig.9 and 10, Tx-Rx mutual coupling
is different for the different rotation of the antennas. Therefore, Tx-Rx transmission
characteristics is also different and depends on the rotational of the antennas. In
particular, Tx-Rx transmission characteristics is rotationally dependent. We predict
that Tx-Rx transmission characteristics should be optimal when Tx-Rx mutual
coupling is strongest.

Rx
PML

Tx
PML

Fig. 11 Rotational angle based on the Rx antenna

PML material

Rx

Tx
Infinite Ground Plane

Fig. 12 Simulation model for various rotational angle

 Fig. 13 and 14 (left) show the transmission characteristics of 2 turn and 4 turn
respectively for various rotational angles. Fig. 13 and 14 (right) show the calculated
deviation from average. These indicate the flatness of the results on the left. Based
on the result in Fig. 13, Rotational angle = 90° (black line) has the smallest ripple
(lowest deviation) and, therefore, results in the optimal transmission characteristics.
This rotational angle is, in fact, the same as the direction of maximum field excitation
in Fig. 9. In the same manner, Rotational angle = 105° (black line) has the smallest
ripple (lowest deviation) for 4 turn RLSA antennas and, therefore, results in the
optimal transmission characteristics. This rotational angle is the same as the
direction of maximum field excitation in Fig. 10

Deviation from
average S21
S21 [dB]

Distance [mm] Rotational Angle [deg.]

Fig.13 Transmission characteristics of 2 turn RLSA for various rotational angles

Deviation from
S21 [dB]

average S21

Distance [mm] Rotational Angle [deg.]

Fig. 14 Transmission characteristics of 4 turn RLSA for various rotational angles

 Conclusion

The application of baffles

The application of baffles in the slot pair improve transmission level (S 21) up
to 5 dB. However, the addition of baffles results in high cross polarization cross
polarization and reducing axial ratio is difficult. The use of baffles to improve
transmission characteristics is not promising.

Rotational dependence

The transmission characteristics of two RLSA antennas depends on mutual

coupling between two antennas (aperture field excitation). The optimal transmission
characteristics occurs when the direction of strongest field excitation in Tx and Rx aligned
for 2 turn RLSA = 90° and 4 turn RLSA = 105° .