Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Inventive Computation Technologies (ICICT-2020)

IEEE Xplore Part Number:CFP20F70-ART; ISBN:978-1-7281-4685-0

Frequency Reconfigurable Microstrip Patch Antenna

for IRNSS Applications
Minakshmi Shaw Yogesh Kumar Choukiker
Dept.of Communication Engg, SENSE Dept.of Communication Engg, SENSE
VIT Vellore VIT Vellore
Tamil Nadu, India Tamil Nadu, India
[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract—This paper presents a compact frequency reconfig- GHz) and the high band (2.11 GHz to 2.51 GHz). It provides
urable antenna for IRNSS applications. The proposed antenna unidirectional radiation pattern at all operating frequencies.
can switch the frequency between L5-band and S-band. The This paper presents a compact and low profile dual-band
reconfigurability for the designed antenna is achieved by incor-
porating RF PIN (three) diode between the radiating element frequency reconfigurable microstrip antenna for Indian Re-
and resonance slot. The proposed antenna is resonated at 1.1753 gional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) applications at L5
GHz (1.16 GHz to 1.19 GHz) and 2.4895 GHz (2.47 GHZ to 2.51 band (1.17 GHz) and S-band (2.49 GHz) band. The three low
GHz) with ON and OFF condition of PIN diodes, respectively. It resistance RF PIN diodes are used between radiating element
is compact and low profile structure with maximum gain of 8.51 and slot, as a switch to achieve the frequency reconfigurability.
dBi with low cross polarization (CP) of approximate < −30 dB.
The proposed antenna has the maximum gain of 8.51 dBi with
Index Terms—Microstrip Antenna, Frequency Reconfig- directional radiation pattern. The geometry for the proposed
urablity, PIN Diodes, IRNSS. antenna is discussed in Section II. Section III covers simulated
results and parametric analysis of different parameters, and
I. I NTRODUCTION Section IV concludes the paper.

In present communication system, accurate real time po-

sitioning system is very important parameter. The need of
independent regional satellite navigation system is motivated
by the fact that in adverse condition, the access of Global
Navigation Satellite System (GPS), is crucial. In india an
independent regional satellite navigation system mainly named
as IRNSS is used for accurate real-time positioning and timing
services developement [1]-[2]. For geographic mapping, the
IRNSS satellites will be located in a higher geostatic orbit
to get larger signal reception [3]. It operates in two bands
with a center frequency of 1176.45 MHz and 2492.028 MHz.
To get the accurate information or bandwidth, the antenna
places a very important role. Hence, now a days in modern
wireless communication system the reconfigurable microstrip Fig. 1. The proposed schematic layout of the reconfigurable microstrip patch
antenna: L=120mm, W =120mm, lp =37.5mm, wp =48mm, ls =28mm and
patch antennas are mostly used due to its low cost, planar g=2mm
structure, low profile, lightweight and easy to fabricate [4]. To
obtain the reconfiguration mechanism in the antenna, the RF
switches are placed in the structure, by which the frequency II. P ROPOSED A NTENNA C ONFIGURATION
and others schemes are controlled [5]-[10]. In [11], a compact Fig. 1 shows the proposed schematic layout of the re-
frequency reconfigurable multi band antenna with large tuning configurable microstrip patch antenna with optimized dimen-
range is designed using PIN diodes. The defected ground plane sions. It is printed on top of the dielectric substrate (εr )=2.2
were used for impedance matching and to enhance the property (RT/Duriod), loss tangent=0.0009 and thickness of 1.575mm.
of radiation pattern. The designed antenna was used in several The metallic ground plane of size L×W mm2 is printed on
wireless applications. In [12], dual-band antenna was designed back side of the substrate. The proposed antenna is fed by a
in stacked formation using PIN diodes. It has continuous dual 50Ω coaxial connector. The gap g between the slot and the
frequency tunability feature for the low band (1.68 GHz to 1.93 patch is used to fix the PIN diodes (Model No.: SMP1340)
for frequency reconfigurable mechanism [13-14]. The antenna
analysis is done using the 3D EM simulation software (HFSS)

978-1-7281-4685-0/20/$31.00 ©2020 IEEE 878

Authorized licensed use limited to: University of Canberra. Downloaded on June 25,2020 at 10:43:14 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Inventive Computation Technologies (ICICT-2020)
IEEE Xplore Part Number:CFP20F70-ART; ISBN:978-1-7281-4685-0

[15]. In 3D EM simulation the ON state PIN diode: L = 0.45 patch length is chosen for analysis is 37.5mm and it allows
nH and RS = 1.2Ω, and for OFF state PIN diode: L = 0.45 antenna to resonate at 2.4895 GHz when all PIN diodes are
nH, RP = 5 MΩ, and CT = 0.14 pF were used. in OFF condition.

III. R ESULTS A ND D ISCUSSION

Reflection coefficient (S11 ), surface current distributions,
radiation pattern and gain are examined using open add space
boundry conditions in 3D EM simulation. It resonates at
2.4895 GHz (OFF state) and 1.1753 GHz (ON state) for
frequency reconfigurability. The detail analysis are shown in
later Section to validate the design.

A. Reflection Coefficient
Reflection coefficient (S11 ) represents the amount of power
being reflected backwards from the antenna input to the
excitation port. It is measured in decibel (dB). Mathematically
it is given by: Fig. 3. Simulated reflection coefficient for different values of patch length
(lp )
Za − Zc
S11 (dB) = 20 log10 (1)
Za + Zc 2) Effect of slot length ls : The simulated reflection coeffi-
where, Za is the impedance of the antenna and Zc is the cient of the proposed antenna when the slot length ls is varied
characteristic impedance of the 50 Ω SMA port. Fig. 2 is shown in Fig. 4. As the slot length varies from 15mm
shows the simulated reflection coefficient of the proposed to 30mm the effective length of the antenna increases so
reconfigurable antenna. When PIN diodes are in ON state inductance increases and resonant frequency shifts towards
the antenna resonates at 1.1753 GHz (reflection coefficient lower frequency value. The optimum value of slot (ls ) is
of -13.61 dB) and in OFF condition it resonate at 2.4895 selected to be 28mm which allows antenna to resonate at
GHz (reflection coefficient of -21.60 dB). It is observed that 1.1753 GHz when all PIN diodes are in ON condition.
the antenna has a very good independent switching between
both the bands without disturbing each other. Furthermore, to
validate the proposed antenna design, the parametric studies
has been discussed in later Section.

Fig. 4. Input refection parameter of the proposed antenna for different lengths
of slot (ls ).

Fig. 2. The simulated reflection coefficient of the proposed antenna

B. Surface Current Distributions
Surface current distributions plays a very important role
1) Effect of patch length lp : Fig.3 shows the simulated to understand the mechanism of antenna operation related
reflection coefficient of the proposed antenna when the patch to the switching states. Fig. 5(a) and (b) shows the surface
length lp is varying. The inductance of the geometry changes current distributions of the proposed antenna at 2.4895 GHz
as the radiating element varies in length and this induces and 1.1753 GHz respectively. It is observed that at 2.4895
changes in the resonant frequency. It is observed that the GHz, most of the current is concentrating on rectangular patch
matching of the proposed antenna is very sensitive to the and very less current is observed at slot as shown in Fig. 5(a).
patch length. In OFF condition slot has very less effect and Similarly, at 1.1753 GHz when all the PIN diodes are ON
frequency is determined by varying rectangular patch length. state, the current is distributed more in slot as PIN diodes acts
As the patch length lp is increased resonating frequency is as a bridge in between rectangular patch and slot as shown in
shifted towards the lower frequency. The optimum value of Fig. 5(b).

978-1-7281-4685-0/20/$31.00 ©2020 IEEE 879

Authorized licensed use limited to: University of Canberra. Downloaded on June 25,2020 at 10:43:14 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Inventive Computation Technologies (ICICT-2020)
IEEE Xplore Part Number:CFP20F70-ART; ISBN:978-1-7281-4685-0

independently switching the resonant frequency of 1.1753

GHz and 2.4895 GHz using RF PIN diode ON and OFF
mechanism. It has the maximum gain of 8.51 dBi and good
cross polarization level of <-30 dB. It has simple and com-
pact structure which allows to use the proposed antenna in
navigation receiver for IRNSS frequency bands.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Fig. 5. Surface current distribution of proposed antenna (a) at 2.4895 GHz
Authors like to express their thanks to DST-SERB through
when PIN diode RF switch in the OFF state and (b) at 1.1753 GHz when (ECR/2018/000786) for providing financial support .
PIN diode RF switch in the ON state.
R EFERENCES
[1] Sharma, A. K., et al. “Potential of IRNSS/NavIC L5 signals for iono-
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Fig.6 shows the radiation pattern for both yz - plane and 3131-3138.
[2] https://www.isro.gov.in/irnss-programme.
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radiation pattern shows that it has low CP <-20 dB in yz - development for Indian regional navigational satellite system,” 2016 Inter-
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[11] Shah, I. A., et al. “Design and analysis of a hexa-band frequency
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[14] SMP 1340 PIN diodes Data Sheet, SkyworkS Solutions,Inc.,
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Fig. 6. Simulated Radiation pattern of proposed antenna, (a) yz - plane (E

plane) at 1.1753 GHz (b) xz - plane (H plane) at 1.1753 GHz (c) yz - plane
at 2.4895 GHz (d) xz - plane at 2.4895 GHz

IV. C ONCLUSIONS
The frequency reconfigurable microstrip antenna is designed
and simulated for IRNSS applications. The proposed antenna

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