Novel Ultrawide-band Miniature Antennas

Zhong Lingling, Qiu Jinghui, Zhang Ning, Xing Xiaohang

Dept. Electronics and Communication Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Tel: +86-451-8640-2923, Fax: +86-451-8641-3505, E-mail: zhonglingling@hit.edu.cn

Abstract-Study of novel circular disc monopole ultrawide-
band miniature antennas is presented in this paper. Based on the
conventional circular disc monopole, two kinds of novel circular
disc monopole ultrawide-band miniature antennas are proposed.
The circular disc monopole is revolved or puckered. The
improved antennas are not only favorable for satisfying
ultrawide-band requirement but also advantageous in realizing
the further miniaturization. Detailed analyses are conducted to
determine the novel antennas properties. And the return loss,
current distributions, radiation patterns and gain of the antennas
are discussed. The novel antenna proposed in this paper is
suitable for the wireless, satellite and mobile communication
systems with good prospects.
Index Terms -Circular disc monopole; circular disc monopole
antenna with a certain angle; circular disc monopole antenna
puckered a certain length; ultrawide-band (UWB);
miniaturization
I. INTRODUCTION
In present and in the future, there is very high request to the
antenna design for UWB system. Recently monopole antenna
is the focus of UWB antenna. It can satisfy all requirements of
wireless terminal frequency and provide the good radiation
performance in the very wide impedance band width. In
addition, it has other obvious advantages such as simple
manufacture, convenient processing, low cost and so on [1], [2].
The conventional monopole antennas are not planar structure
as the reflector plate is perpendicular to the radiator. This
consumes very great volume space, and it does not favor for
miniaturization of the antenna [3]-[5]. In order to improve this
performance, the planar disc monopole comes into being. The
radiator, ground plane and the feeder equipment of the antenna
are placed on the same plate. This causes the structure to be
more compact, and it has greater practical value [6].
Based on this, the height reduction is considered. Two kinds
of novel circular disc monopole UWB miniature antennas are
proposed is this paper. The circular disc monopole is revolved
or puckered. Although this may destroy the complete flatness
characteristic, the degree is light. And it can further reduce the
spatial structure size.
II. PLANAR CIRCULAR DISC MONOPOLE ANTENNA
For the planar circular disc monopole, copper and iron can
be chosen as the material, and its thickness d 1mm. The sheet
is cut as a disk with radius r. Ground plane is composed of two
pieces of rectangle metal (length of side is m and n), and they
are placed on the same plane with the circular radiator. The
antenna is fed by a coaxial line. Core of the coaxial is exposed
out as the feed point, and the outer metal is connected with
ground planes. The lower end of the disk is adopted as the feed
point. The height of the feed gap is h.
Using the principle to carry on the basic parameter design
and the simulation analysis by CST [7],[8], a dimension of the
proposed circular disc monopole antenna with first resonant
frequency 3GHz is obtained, i.e. r=10.7mm, m=n=21.4mm,
h=0.6mm, and d=1mm. On the basis of it, two improved
circular disc monopole ultrawide-band antennas are proposed.
III. CIRCULAR DISC MONOPOLE ANTENNA WITH A
CERTAIN ANGLE
A. Basic Structure
With the basic structure preservation of the planar circular
disc monopole, the circular disc moves around the upper edge
of the ground plane a certain angle , as Fig. 1 shows. This
reduces the height of the antenna to a certain degree.
B. Return Loss
Return loss is an import index of antenna. The return losses
of circular disc monopole antenna with a certain angle for =0
(not rotating), =10, =30 and =45are plotted in Fig. 2
respectively (0~60GHz). Although the return loss increases
slightly along with enlargement of angle , in the 2.5~55GHz
frequency range, the return loss is smaller than -10dB for the
four angles. This indicates the antenna has a more than 25
times octave impedance bandwidth. The antennas input
impedance (real and imaginary part separately) for =30 is
also shown in Fig. 3. It is indicated that the real part of input
impedance smoothly fluctuates with the mean of 50, and the
imaginary part also smoothly fluctuates with the mean of 0.
Hence the antenna matches well with the 50 coaxial cable. In
short, circular disc monopole antenna with a certain angle is
able to achieve good bandwidth characteristics.

x
y
z
y
d
h
n
m
ground
plane
coaxial line
r
circular
monopole

Fig. 1. Circular disc monopole antenna with a certain angle
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
-35
-30
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0




Frequency (GHz)
S
-
P
a
r
a
m
e
t
e
r

M
a
g
n
i
t
u
d
e

(
d
B
)
=0
=10
=30
=45

Fig. 2. Return loss curves for different angle

Frequency (GHz)
Z
1
1

(

)
real part of Z
11
imaginary part of Z
11
2.5 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
-50
0
50
100



Fig. 3. Real and imaginary parts of input impedance (=30)

C. Current Distributions
It has been known that the lowest resonance frequency of the
impedance bandwidth is decided by the disk size [7]. This
parameter performance can be explained through a general
survey of the current distribution. Current distribution at 3GHz,
6GHz, and 10GHz is showed in Fig. 4(=30). The current is
mainly distributed along the nether edge of the disc. This
indicated the resonance frequency and the disk size are related.
As circular disc monopole could be equivalent as infinite
dipole antennas, and all of them have the same feed point, the
disc dimension mainly defines the first resonant frequency [9].
It can be seen from Fig. 4 that besides the disc, current is
distributed on the upper edge of the ground plane. The portion
of the ground plane close to the disc acts as the radiating
structure. Therefore the antenna characteristic has much to do
with the transverse length of the ground plane m. In addition, it
may be seen that along with the frequency change, the current
distribution is fairly stable.
D. Radiation Patterns and Gain
Radiation patterns and gain are important factors to evaluate
the antenna performances. The normalized radiation patterns at
3GHz, 6GHz and 10GHz are plotted in Figs. 5(30). When
f=3GHz, the E-plane (x-y plane) pattern assumes the
symmetrical distribution about x axis and y axis. When the
frequency increases to 6GHz and 10GHz, gain of y axis
direction increases, and the increases scope is between 5~10dB.
In each frequency, the H-plane (x-z plane) pattern is near
omnidirectional and distributed symmetrically about z axis,
especially when f=3GHz, its omnidirectional. When the
frequency increases, gain of -z axis direction reduces 10dB,
and gain of -x axis direction reduces 8dB as compared to the
biggest gain (30 of z axis direction).
Fig. 6 illustrates the simulated maximum gains of the
proposed antenna for =10, =30 and =45. It is shown that
the variation of the maximum gain is 5~6 dB within the
frequency range 2.5~55GHz. With the increase of the
frequency, the maximum gain increases too. When f =50GHz,
the maximum gain is greater than 6.5 dB. The maximum gain
has good stability in the entire frequency band.

(a) f = 3 GHz (b) f = 6 GHz (c) f = 10 GHz
0
5
A/m

Fig. 4. Current distributions on the disc monopole with a certain angle (=30)


f =3 GHz
f =6 GHz
f =10 GHz
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
10
y
x
0
[dB]
-20 -10

(a) E-plane
f =3 GHz
f =6 GHz
f =10 GHz
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
z
x
10
[dB] -20 -10 0

(b) H-plane

Fig. 5. Radiation patterns of the disc monopole with a certain angle (30)

2.5 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 5055
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
G
a
i
n

(
d
B
)
Frequency (GHz)



30
10
45

Fig. 6. Maximum gains of the disc monopole with a certain angle

IV. CIRCULAR DISC MONOPOLE ANTENNA PUCKERED A
CERTAIN LENGTH
A. Basic Structure
With the basic structure preservation of the planar circular
disc monopole, the radiator is puckered a certain length w
away from its nether edge. Namely height of the circular disk
is finally w, as shown in Fig. 7.
B. Return Loss
The return losses of circular disc monopole antenna
puckered a certain length for w=2r=21.4mm (not puckered),
w=15mm, w=10.7mmpuckered from the center pointand
w=5mm are plotted in Fig. 8 (0~60GHz). Although the return
loss changes along with the change of w after disk monopole
puckered, the fluctuation scope is slight. In the 2.5~55GHz
frequency range, the return loss is smaller than - 10dB for the
four heights. The antennas input impedance for w=15mm is
shown in Fig. 9. It is shown that the real part of input
impedance smoothly fluctuates with the mean of 50, and the
imaginary part also smoothly fluctuates with the mean of 0.
And they undulate slightly in the 2.5~55GHz frequency range.
Thus the antenna has good bandwidth characteristics with a
more than 25 times octave impedance bandwidth.
C. Current Distributions
Current distribution at 10GHz, 30GHz, and 50GHz is
showed in Fig. 10(w=15mm). It can be seen that along with the
increase of the frequency, the current distribution of the
circular disc monopole antenna puckered a certain length
demonstrates periodic rule gradually, but overall the current
still mainly distributed along the nether edge of the disc and
the upper edge of the ground plane.
D. Radiation Patterns and Gain
The normalized radiation patterns at 10GHz, 30GHz and
50GHz are plotted in Figs. 11(w=15mm). It is noticed that the
E-plane pattern assumes the symmetrical distribution about y
axis. The radiation pattern goes up and down with the changes
of the frequency. The E-plane pattern is similar at 30GHz and
50GHz. The H-plane pattern assumes the symmetrical
distribution about z axis. Similar to E-plane, the H-plane
pattern is similar at 30GHz and 50GHz. The directivity is
relatively good at 45 of z axis and x axis direction. When
f=10GHz, gain of z axis and x axis direction reduces about 5dB
as compared to the biggest gain (25 of z axis direction).
Fig.12 illustrates the simulated maximum gains of the
proposed antenna for w=15mm, w=10.7mm and w=5mm. It is
shown that the maximum gain has good stability in the entire
frequency band. The variation of the maximum gain is 6~7 dB
within the frequency range 2.5~55GHz. With the increase of
the frequency, the maximum gain increases too. When f
=50GHz, the maximum gain is greater than 6 dB.

x
y
z
y
d
h
n
m
circular
monopole
ground plane
coaxial line
r
w
2r-w

Fig. 7. Circular disc monopole antenna puckered a certain length


w = 15mm
w = 5mm
w = 10.7mm
Frequency (GHz)
S
-
P
a
r
a
m
e
t
e
r

M
a
g
n
i
t
u
d
e

(
d
B
)
w = 21.4mm
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0





Fig. 8. Return loss curves for different antenna height w


Frequency (GHz)
Z
1
1

(

)
real part of Z
11
imaginary part of Z11
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
-50
0
50
100


2.5

Fig. 9. Real and imaginary parts of input impedance (w=15mm)
(a) f = 10 GHz (b) f = 30 GHz (c) f = 50 GHz
0
A/m
5

Fig. 10. Current distributions on the disc monopole puckered a certain length
(w15mm)

f =10 GHz
f =30 GHz
f =50 GHz
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
10
y
x
0
[dB]
-20 -10

(a) E-plane
f =10 GHz
f =30 GHz
f =50 GHz
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
z
x
10
[dB] -20 -10 0

(b) H-plane
Fig. 11. Radiation patterns of the disc monopole puckered a certain length
(w15mm)

2.5 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 5055
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
G
a
i
n

(
d
B
)
Frequency (GHz)



w = 15mm
w = 5mm
w = 10.7mm

Fig. 12. Maximum gains of the disc monopole puckered a certain length
V. CONCLUSION
Two novel circular disc monopole antennas are investigated
detailed in this paper. The basic theory and design method are
analyzed based on the planar circular disc monopole. The
radiation effect and current distribution are researched.
Meanwhile the impedance performances of them are compared,
and the definite and effective results are obtained. Research
results show that both of the two kinds of novel antennas can
realize good bandwidth performance. The 10 dB return loss
bandwidth is from 2.5GHz to 55GHz. These two kinds of
novel antennas have made the effective improvement regarding
the planar monopole, and they can realize the spatial structure
miniaturization, also it has the low cost, simple structure and
other advantages. The novel antennas provide the valuable
reference for the future UWB antenna design.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to
CST Ltd., Germany, for providing the CST Training Center at
our university with a free package of CST MWS software.
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