Dielectric Cover Layer Thickness Effect on Circular Microstrip Antenna Parameters

Abstract

This paper studies the effect of dielectric cover layer thickness on circular microstrip patch antenna parameters such as gain, bandwidth, beam-width, radiation patterns, return loss and VSWR. The proposed antenna is designed with 2.4GHz frequency in S-Band region. This operating frequency useful in ISM band applications. Circular patch antenna is designed with cavity model analysis and simulated using HFSS simulation software (Electromagnetic simulator). The coaxial probe fed is used for antenna design. In this paper the effect of dielectric cover layer on antenna parameters studied experimentally and comparing their performance characteristics. The simulation results shows that the antenna without dielectric cover layer obtained gain is 4.11dB and antenna with dielectric cover the gain is reduced to 2.87dB to 5.88dB based on thickness of the dielectric cover layer. The antenna bandwidth obtained without dielectric cover is 3% and with dielectric cover its bandwidth is reduced from 0.012GHz to 0.052GHz based on thickness of the cover layer effect. Similarly other parameters are investigated and compared. This proposed circular patch antenna is used in wireless and Wi-Fi applications.