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A single-arm circular spiral antenna with inner/outer feed circuitry for changing
polarization and beam characteristics

Conference Paper · July 2003

DOI: 10.1109/APS.2003.1220313 · Source: IEEE Xplore

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Chang Won Jung Bedri A. Cetiner

Seoul National University of Science&Technology Utah State University
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A Single-Arm Circular Spiral Antenna with Inner/Outer Feed Circuitry
for Changing Polarization and Beam Characteristics
Chang won Jung, Bedri A. Cetiner and Franco De Flaviis

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
Abstract: A single-arm circular spiral antenna has been investigated to get adaptable circular polarization
and tilt beam. Circular spiral is printed on a finite size dielectric substrate (εr=3.27) backed by a finite size-
conducting plane. Circular spiral radiates Right Handed Circular Polarization (RHCP) in its inner feed and
Left Hand Circular Polarization (LHCP) in its outer feed in one antenna element. Circular spiral has an
axial beam (L1=1.64λg) in the z-axis and two-tilted beams (L2=3.25λg, L3=5.55λg) of RHCP in inner feed
and LHCP in outer feed at 10GHz, where L is a horizontal arm length. The frequency bandwidth for a 3-dB
axial ratio criterion is about 25% in both inner and outer feed at L1=1.64λg.

Introduction: Spiral antenna was investigated previously [1-3]. The principal characteristics of
spiral antenna are broad bandwidth and wide beamwidth. Actually, these characteristics are
becoming more desirable for spread spectrum and multifunction RF systems [2-3]. Another
feature of spiral antenna is the radiation of Circular Polarization (CP). CP follows the winding
sense of spiral antenna [2]. Figure 1 shows the different winding direction from each feed point.
Winding direction from the feed point of circular spiral is right at inner feed (F1) and left at outer
feed (F2). Different feed makes different CP [4-5]. These two feed points in one circular spiral
antenna element can be adaptable to communication system as an adaptive circular polarization
antenna with signal process technology. Moreover, outer feed can be used in the array of one feed
point [4-5]. A single-arm rectangular spiral antenna has a tilt beam characteristic from changing
its horizontal arm length [2]. This tilt beam feature can be adaptable to smart beam-forming
antenna in communication systems.
In this paper, a single-arm circular spiral antenna is newly investigated in terms of both
changing CP and tilt beam formation in one antenna element. Using inner and outer feed changes
CP. The change in the length of spiral arm produces tilt beam formation. It has the advantage on
the adaptability of circular polarization and different beam forming.

Configuration: Figure 1 shows a single-arm circular spiral antenna. The horizontal spiral arm is
printed on the dielectric substrate and connected to two vertical feedings (F1; Inner feed, F2;
Outer feed) of coaxial cable. Dielectric substrate has permittivity εr = 3.27 with thickness, H =
3.175mm = 0.105λo, where 1λo=30mm is the wavelength in free space at the test frequency of 10
GHz, the X-band used in military band. Substrate and conducting planes are squares with a side
length, SL = 1λo for its compactness. Width of spiral arm is 1mm = 0.033λo. Circular Spiral is
made from semicircle [1]. Radius from the center is increased to 1R, 3R, 5R … (2m-1) R, where
R = radius of semicircle, and comparison with Archimedes spiral is analyzed on [1]. Circular
spiral is fed by a coaxial line from point F1 and F2. Feed lines (F1, F2) can be adaptable from
Circular Polarization (RHCP, LHCP) of its incident signal. Using a coaxial feed, a printed
antenna (horizontal element) is excited through a vertical probe, which is formed by extending
the inner conductor of the coaxial line. Circular spiral, which has three different arm lengths, is
analyzed for its different beam forming. Each horizontal arm lengths is L1 = 1.64λg (Axial
Beam), L2 = 3.25λg (Tilted Beam) and L3 = 5.55λg (Tilted Beam) [2], where 1λg = 20.53mm =
0.684 λo (λg = Guided wavelength). Each spiral, which has three different horizontal line lengths,
has two feeds for adaptation of incident circular polarized wave.
Analysis and Computational result:
A. Adaptable circular polarization using inner/ outer feed: The analysis is performed using
3D-full wave analysis, HFSS based on Finite Element Method (FEM). Return loss, axial ratio,
gain and radiation pattern for CP are computed. Figure 2 shows calculated and measured return
losses of L1 = 1.64λg at both feed points. Both return losses are under –10dB at 10GHz and –
10dB frequency bandwidth is broad, over 15GHz. The frequency responses of the axial ratio and
gain are shown in Figure3. The inner feed radiates RHCP wave over a bandwidth of 22.5% and
outer feed radiates LHCP wave over a bandwidth of 25% with an axial ratio of less than 3dB,
where ER = 1 ( Eθ + Eφ j ) , EL = 1 ( Eθ − Eφ j ) and Axial ratio = ( ER + EL ) /( ER − EL ) . Gain is
2 2
6.8dBi in inner feed and 6.2dBi in outer feed at 10GHz. Figure 4 shows CP gain pattern and
polarization ratio for CP of L1, where polarization ratio for RHCP = ER / EL and LHCP
= EL / ER . CP gain pattern for F1 has wide Half Power Beam Width (HPBW), 112o (Figure 4.
(a)), and polarization ratio for RHCP (Figure 4. (b)) is over 15dB within HPBW. HPBW (Figure
4. (c)) for F2, 79o, is narrower than inner feed and polarization ratio (Figure 4. (d)) for LHCP is
over 15dB within HPBW. Both inner and outer feeds have wide HPBW. It is found that inner
feed makes radiation of RHCP and outer feed makes radiation of LHCP from its polarization ratio
for CP within HPBW.

B. Tilt beam formation: To obtain a tilt beam, the outermost periphery of the spiral must be
more than 2λg [3]. The tilted beam is obtained by superposing radiation field between first active
region (Circumference of Spiral antenna =1λg) and the second active region (Circumference of
Spiral antenna =2λg) on radiation field. First active region has approximately in-phase fields at
two symmetrical points with respect to the Z-axis, whereas the second active region has a phase
difference at these two symmetrical points. The phase correlation between first and second active
region makes a tilted beam [3]. Maximum beam direction of normalized CP gain pattern is shown
in Figure 5. Maximum beam directions of three different horizontal lengths, L1=1.64λg,
L2=3.25λg and L3=4.32λg, make axial beam and two tilted beams in both inner feed (RHCP) and
outer feed (LHCP) respectively [2]. Figure 5 (a) and (b) show gain pattern (RHCP) of Inner feed
at φ = 0ο and φ = 90ο, Figure 5 (c) and (d) show gain pattern (LHCP) of outer feed at φ = 0ο and
φ = 90ο. Normalized gain patterns of both inner feed and outer feed have axial beam (on the Z-
axis; θ = 0o) at L1 and two tilted beams at L2 and L3. Direction of tilt beam becomes more
positive for inner feed and more negative for outer feed in θ direction both on the elevation angle
as the horizontal line length increases. Axial beam is not exactly in the z-axis because circular
spiral is slightly unsymmetrical structure from the z-axis. Total tilt beam range of L1, L2 and L3
is wider at φ = 90ο than φ = 0ο.

Conclusion: A single-arm circular spiral has broad bandwidth (over 15GHz) and wide HPBW
(112o; inner feed (RHCP) and 79o; outer feed (LHCP) for L1 = 1.64λg). Inner and outer feeds (F1,
F2) change circular polarization of one-arm circular spiral antenna. Inner feed makes radiation of
RHCP and outer feed makes radiation of LHCP at test frequency, 10GHz. The change in spiral
arm length makes beam tilt. Axial beam is not exactly on the z-axis, because spiral is slightly
unsymmetrical from the z-axis. Maximum beam direction and gain are summarized in Table 1.
Overall tilt beam range is wider at φ = 90° than φ = 0° and tilt beam direction is opposite to each
other according to the feed points. These two features of one spiral antenna element have the
advantage on the adaptability of circular polarization and different beam forming.
References:
[1] R. Bawer and J.J Wolfe, “The spiral Antenna,” IRE International Convention Record, Pt. T, pp. 84-95, May, 1960.
[2] Hisamatsu Nakano, Jun Eto, Yosuke Okabe, and Junji Yamauchi, “Tilted- and Axial-Beam Formation by a Single-
Arm Rectangular Spiral Antenna With Compact Dielectric Substrate and Conducting Plane,” IEEE Trans. Antennas
Propagation, vol. 50, no. 1, Jan., 2002
[3] H. Nakano, Y. Shinma, and J. Yamauchi, “A monofilar spiral antenna and its array above a ground plane—
Formation of a circularly polarized tilted fan beam,” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagation, vol. 45, pp. 1506–1511, Oct.,
1997.
[4] K. Hirose, K. Kawai, and H. Nakano, “An array antenna composed of outer-fed curl elements,” IEEE AP-S Int.
Symp. vol.2, pp. 1162 -1165, Jun., 1998.
[5] K. Hirose, K. Kawai, and H. Nakano, “A curl array antenna for a linearly polarized wave,” IEEE AP-S Int. Symp.
vol.4, pp.2752 -2755, Aug., 1999.

Z Y
F1 φ (a)
Inner feed (RHCP) F2 X
Azimuth plane
Outer feed (LHCP)

SL Z
θ
F2 F1
Y
H X
(b)
Elevation plane

Coaxial
line

Figure 1. Configuration of the single-arm circular spiral antenna (a) Top view, (b) Side view.

-5

-10
Return loss (dB)

-15

-20

-25
Inner-fed(Cal.)
Outer-fed(Cal.)
-30
Inner-fed(Exp.)
Outer-fed(Exp.)
-35

-40
0 5 10 15 20 25

Frequency (GHz)

Figure 2. Return loss of inner/ outer feed at L1 = 1.64λg. Return loss of inner feed is –12dB and outer feed is –12dB at
10GHz.
9
Gain 9
Axial Ratio
Axial Ratio and Gain [dB]

Axial Ratio and Gain [dB]

6
6

3
3

0
9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 0
9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12
Frequency [GHz] Frequency [GHz]

(a) (b)

Figure 3. Frequency response of axial ratio and gain of L1 = 1.64λg (a) Inner feed (RHCP) (b) Outer feed (LHCP).
 90 90
90
90

HPBW = 112° 30
30 135 45 135 45
135 45 135 45
-10
-10
20
HPBW = 79°
20

-20 -20
10
10

-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30

180 0 180 0 180 0 180 0

225 315 225 315 225 315

225 315

270
270 270 270

(a) (b) (c) (d)

LHCP
angle, φ = 0ο RHCP , Elevation
Figure 4. Normalized gain pattern and polarization ratio of L1 = 1.64λg at 10GHz (a) Normalized gain pattern of inner
feed at φ = 0ο (b) Polarization ratio for RHCP, inner feed, at φ = 0ο (c) Normalized gain pattern of outer feed at φ = 0ο
(d) Polarization ratio for LHCP, outer feed, at φ = 0ο .

90
90 L3 90 L3

135 45
L2 135 45
135
-10
45

-10 -10

-20
-20 -20

L1 -30 -20 -10

-30 -20 -10 -30 -20 -10 180 0
180 0 180 0 L2
L1

225 315 225 315 L1 225 315 L2

270
270 270 L3
(a) (b) (c)
90

135 45
-10

L1
-20

180
-30 -20 -10
0 Z
θ

Max. Beam Direction Y

225 315 L2
L1
L2 φ
X
270

L3 L3
(d)

Figure 5. Axial beam and two tilt beams-formation of L1=1.64λg, L2=3.25λg and L3=4.32λg at 10GHz (a) Inner feed,
RHCP at φ = 0ο (b) Inner feed, RHCP at φ =90ο (c) Outer feed, LHCP at φ = 0ο (d) Outer feed, LHCP at φ = 90ο

F1 (RHCP), φ = 0ο F1 (RHCP), φ = 90ο

Max Beam Direction (θ) Gain (dBi) Max Beam Direction (θ) Gain (dBi)
L1 7 6.8 325 6.4
L2 36 8.7 353 7.7
L3 47 5.6 62 7.4

F2 (LHCP), φ = 0ο F2 (LHCP), φ = 90ο

Max Beam Direction (θ) Gain (dBi) Max Beam Direction (θ) Gain (dBi)
L1 349 6.5 27 6.1
L2 322 4.7 327 4.6
L3 303 4.4 302 4.5
Table 1. Maximum beam direction in elevation angle and gain of maximum beam direction at 10GHz.

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