New Approach to Active Antennas Design
Elena I. Shirokova
Department of Radioelectronics and Telecommunication
Sevastopol State University
Sevastopol, Russian Federation
shirokova@ieee.org,
Abstract—The use of regenerative amplifier as the part of
active antenna is considered in the paper. Main parameters of
regenerative amplifier are considered. The integrating of
regenerative amplifier into microstrip antenna design is
described. The microstrip antenna itself is considered as the
opened resonant system of regenerative amplifier. The results of
modeling of active antenna operation in receiving and
transmitting modes in AWR design environment are shown. No
switching between these modes has to be implemented. Antenna
can operate in these modes simultaneously. According the
simulation the active antenna possesses the additional gain in
17 dB in both modes. Small degradation in antenna gain takes
place in transmitting mode due to signal compression in an active
element. The results of experimental investigations of active
antenna operation in both modes are presented. Experimental
results affirmed the simulation on active antenna operation.
Small deviation of experimental results from modeling is caused
by not rigid representation of FET pins of not-zero length.
Described antenna is especially useful for design of active
transponder of the systems of RFID and localization. Described
approach to an active antenna design will be irreplaceable at
array construction. In such array antenna module can contain
the microstrip patch antenna with FET and phase shifter, and no
more. Additionally the voltage applied to second gate of the FET
controls the gain of active antenna. Separate amplifiers, switches,
complex systems of the feeders are no needed at array design.
Keywords—microstrip antennas; active antennas; receiving
antennas; transmitting antennas; microwave amplifiers; field effect
transistors
I. INTRODUCTION
The active antenna can improve the quality performance of
entire system of radio-engineering [1]. At the same time, the
conventional two-port amplifier generally is used at the design
of an active antenna [2, 3]. In a case of the amplifier inputs are
connected to antenna’s terminals, the receiving active antenna
results. In a case of the amplifier outputs are connected to
antenna’s terminals, the transmitting active antenna results.
So, the complex switching of microwave signal and complex
commutating of power chains have to be implemented at
front-end design of entire radio engineering system with the
using of active antenna. Mentioned problem is multiplied
essentially at antenna array design.
At the same time, there is another type of amplifier, which
operation is based on the use of so called “negative resistance”
This work was State supported in a framework of implementation of Project
# 5.6208.2017/8.9 of base part of the State task of the Russian Federation.
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Igor B. Shirokov
Department of Electronics Engineering
Sevastopol State University
Sevastopol, Russian Federation
shirokov@ieee.org
or falling segment of volt-ampere characteristic (tunnel
diodes, Gunn’s diodes etc).
The same result can be achieved by the use of positive
feedback. Mentioned amplifiers can have single port [4-6];
and this feature opens a good opportunity for wide spectrum
of application. Some times such amplifiers are called as
reflective ones and the principle of its operation can be
classified as regenerative ones.
The design of mentioned amplifier is very simple, however
the calculations of working characteristics is very complex.
The operation of these amplifiers is based on the presence of
parasitic reactance in the active element [5, 6]. Often it is
impossible to take into account all of parasitic capacitors and
inductances and the analyzing of amplifier operation is
problematic. As a result, the operation of real regenerative
amplifier is unstable; the repeatability of amplifier is weak.
II. REGENERATIVE ONE-PORT AMPLIFIER
From the other hand the positive feedback in amplifier can
be realized in schematic manner, without the orientation on
parasitic reactance. Similar amplifier was described and well
studied in [7, 8]. The schematic of this amplifier is shown in
Fig. 1.
Fig. 1. Schematic of regenerative reflective amplifier.
This scheme looks like Hartley oscillator one, however the
positive feedback coefficient and the transistor slope
(controlled by the second gate voltage) are adjusted with
corresponding manner, and self-excitation of the schematic is
absent.
Due to the mentioned above reason of complex
calculations it was experimentally established that, from the
point of view of the absence of circuit generation in the
operating mode, as well as obtaining the maximum gain in a
frequency band 200-2200 MHz, the optimal inclusion
inductance coefficient has to be p = 0.684 , and it can be
calculated as
978-1-7281-3599-1/19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE
 L1
p= ,
L1 + L2
where L1 and L2 are the inductance of segments of the total
inductance. The frequency dependence of the gain of a
microwave single-port regenerative amplifier, calculated
according to the proposed method with different inclusion
coefficients of constructive inductance is shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 2. Amplifier gain with dependence from p.
As it can be seen from Fig. 2 for optimal coefficient
p = 0.684 the amplifier gain can reach the value up to 30 dB.
III. DESIGN OF ACTIVE ANTENNA
It is proposed to use the microstrip patch at the design of the
active antenna. Microstrip antenna consists of proper patch on
the dielectric substrate and the shielding plate. These elements
form the high-Q resonator [9, 10]. So, it is proposed to replace
the resonant circuit (tank) of regenerative amplifier with
microstrip patch.
Similar approach was used at the design of the autodyne
sensor of human cardiac rhythm [11]. Such sensor consists of
oscillator on the FET combined with the opened resonant
system. Such oscillator can determine all electro-physical
changes in the nearby proximity. In our case the main
difference consist in operation mode of the FET assuming the
absence of the circuit self-excitation.
So, the design of proposed active RX-TX antenna is shown
in Fig. 3.
Fig. 3. Design of active antenna.
The active RX-TX antenna consists of microstrip patch 1,
dielectric base plate 2, shield plate 3, bypass capacitor, active
element (FET), and input/output microwave connector
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uI O ( t ) . The matching of antenna at resonance with the feeder
determines the point of connecting of the microwave socket
with the antenna patch.
The FET’s gate and source are connected with the
microstrip patch according the scheme. The patch is short-
circuited to the shield plate in its centre. This short circuit does
not disturb the resonance system because the voltage is equal
to zero at resonance in this point. However, such short circuit
ensures the DC power supplying of amplifier. The DC voltage
of the active antenna is applied to the FET’s drain ( U PS ). The
gain control of the active antenna is implemented by the
changing of voltage U CTRL .
The microstrip patch must contain the holes, the place of
which has to be determined priory. Through these holes the
FET’s source and gate have to be connected with the antenna
patch. Such connection realizes the positive feedback, and
proper operation of the amplifier is ensured in this case [12].
Described connection of the patch with the FET’s leads is
equivalent to the connection of the inductors taps of standard
resonant chain, and it is very similar to the schematic of the
one-port reflective amplifier described above.
The microstrip patch corresponds the electromagnetic
structure which can emit or receive the electromagnetic waves,
transforming it into electrical signals on the antenna
connector.
A. Operation in receiving mode
The falling waves are received by the electromagnetic
structure and the induced voltage is appeared at the FET gate.
This voltage involves the appearance of co-phase current,
which flows through the FET channel, and partially this
current flows through the patch. This current induces the
voltage applied to FET gate. The gate voltage is co-phased
with the input voltage. In this case the positive feedback is
implemented, and the regenerative gaining of microwave
signal takes place. At the microwave connector the gained
microwave signal uI / O ( t ) is removed.
B. Operation in transmitting mode
External signal uI / O ( t ) excites the electromagnetic
structure. So, the induced voltage is appeared at the FET gate.
This induced voltage is co-phased with the input voltage. This
voltage involves the appearance of co-phase current, which
flows through the FET channel, and partially this current
flows through the patch. This current induces the voltage
applied to FET gate, which is co-phased with the input
microwave voltage. In this case the positive feedback is
implemented as well, and the regenerative gaining of
microwave signal takes place as well. The electromagnetic
wave is emitted by the electromagnetic structure.
The maximum amplification in both modes is realized at a
resonance of the tank.
 IV. SIMULATION OF THE ACTIVE RX-TX ANTENNA
The antenna’s input and emission characteristics have to be
studied for the understanding of the entire efficiency of
antenna under the test (AUT) in both modes: receiving and
transmitting. For the investigation of emission characteristics
of AUT additional auxiliary antenna should be used.
For the analysis the AWR design environment was used.
For the simplifying of analyzing procedure and creating a
single electromagnetic structure in the AWR design
environment both antennas have to be placed in the single
plane. It has to be understood, such mutual arrangement of the Fig. 5. AWR design environment worksheet.
AUT and auxiliary antenna is not quite adequate because the
pattern of patch antenna has zero within the plane of the patch. The resonant frequency of the AUT for the EM structure
However, the relative increasing of microwave signals at both (squares in red) is higher then for auxiliary one. But the
antennas terminals due to the FET connection to the one patch connecting of the FET to the patch shifts the resonant
and the applying of power voltage is of interest. The frequency to the desired value (rhombuses in green).
electromagnetic structure in AWR design environment is The frequency dependences of the transferring coefficients
shown in Fig. 4. The electromagnetic structure consists of two from the first port to the second port and vice versa are shown
microstrip patch antennas, which are placed on the common in Fig. 7. In these plots all of the transferring coefficients are
dielectric substrate with the common ground plane. shown: separate for the schematic (rhombuses in green and
double triangles in brown) and for the EM structure (squares
in blue and triangles in red). As it can be seen these curves
coincide. That is why the second port replicates all of features
of the first port. The microwave signal can be transferred from
the first port to the second port and vice versa. In other words,
both ports can operate in both modes: receiving and
transmitting.

Fig. 4. Electromagnetic structure.

The size of first patch (AUT) was 43.25 mm×43.25 mm.

The size of second patch (auxiliary antenna) was
44.75 mm×44.75 mm. The distance between patches was
20 mm. The dielectric substrate had the thickness in 1.6 mm
and the dielectric constant in 4.3.
Ports 1 and 2 of both patches are 50-Ohm connectors for
input/output of microwave signals. Port 3 of the AUT is
connected with FET source. Port 4 is connected with FET
gate. Port 5 is the shorting circuit to the ground. The schematic Fig. 6. Antenna’s VSWR.
of connection of the electromagnetic structure with the active
amplifying element (FET) in AWR design environment is
shown in Fig. 5.
As the amplifying element the well-known FET BF998 was
used for simulation. Corresponding spice model of this FET
was included.
The input characteristics (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) of
the EM structure and the schematic are shown in Fig. 6. Here,
the index 1 is for the first patch (AUT). The index 2 is for the
second patch (auxiliary antenna). Both curves of the second
patch (triangles in blue and double triangles in brown) quite
coincide for the EM structure and for the schematic, as it was
expected. However, for the AUT the input characteristics are a Fig. 7. Transferring coefficients at the standard power supply.
little bit different for the EM structure and for the schematic.

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 Small degradation of transferring coefficient (in 1 dB) corresponded to presence of power supplying of active
occurs on contrary directions for schematic. Obviously, it is antenna (DC power jack was connected). Second plot (bottom)
caused by small signal compression, when the AUT operates showed the operation of active antenna without power
in transmitting mode. Separately for EM structure there is no supplying. The difference in the transfer ratios (additional
any degradation of transferring coefficient on contrary gain) was 14 dB.
directions because EM structure is the linear unit, at least at
first approximation.
In any case the simulated active antenna has the additional
signal gaining in 17 dB for transmitting and receiving modes.
For the comparison the curves for transferring coefficients
without power supplying are shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10. Equipment for measuring of active antenna in receiving mode.

Fig. 8. Transfering coefficients without power supplying.

As it can be seen the same transferring coefficients for the

schematic and for EM structure were obtained at the frequency
of interest.

V. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS OF ACTIVE

ANTENNA
Fig. 11. Transfer ratios of active antenna in receiving mode.
The active antenna was made. The appearance of active
antenna is shown in Fig. 9. The deviation of experimental results from simulation
obviously is caused by the not rigid conditions at simulation.
Namely, all of wires in AWR worksheet are of zero length. In
reality the length of wires at FET’s gate and source have not
zero lengths.
The equipment for measurements of active antenna in
transmitting mode is shown in Fig. 12 (DC jack of power
supply of active antenna is disconnected).

Fig. 9. Appearance of active antenna.

The measurements of additional gain of active antenna were

made. The standard measurer of VSWR and attenuation R2-
102 (Russia) was used. The equipment for measurements of
active antenna in receiving mode is shown in Fig. 10 (DC jack
of power supply of active antenna is connected).
The results of measurements of active antenna in receiving
mode are shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 12. Equipment for measuring of active antenna in transmitting mode.
Two plots are shown at the screen of measurer. First plot
(upper) was stored in a memory of measurer and one

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 The results of measurements of AUT in transmitting mode
are shown in Fig. 13.
Fig. 13. Transferring coefficients of AUT in transmitting mode.
Again two plots are shown at the screen of the measurer.
The additional gain of AUT was 12 dB. Obviously the
additional deviation of the measurement from the simulation
was caused by hard compression of measuring signal of R2-
102 (about 0 dBm) by the FET.
VI. CONCLUSION
Thus, the design of the active RX-TX antenna with the use
of regenerative amplifier was discussed. The design of the
active antenna is very simple and repeatable.
The simulations of active antenna operation in different
modes were carried out. The active antenna provided the
additional gaining of microwave signal in 17 dB. The
operation of the active antenna was stable.
The real operation of active RX-TX antenna in receiving and
transmitting mode was considered. Antenna provided
additional gain in 12-14 dB. The results of simulation and
measurements were well agreed.
No switching between receiving and transmitting modes
does need to be implemented. The active antenna can operate
in both modes simultaneously.
The simplicity of the active RX-TX antenna design, the
absence of the signal commutation, and the small energy
consumption in conjunction with the signal gaining does the
described active RX-TX antenna irreplaceable for wide
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applications, such as: the communication, the radar, the
navigation.
Separately, the application of described antenna will be very
useful for the design of RFID system.
In the case of the deployment of the active RX-TX antenna
as the element of the antenna array the efficiency of entire
antenna array will be improved significantly.
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