2016 IEEE 36th International Conference on Electronics and Nanotechnology (ELNANO)

New Microstrip Quasi Fractal Antennas: Design and

Simulation Results
Yaqeen S.Mezaal Dalal A. Hammood
Electronic and Communication Engineering Department Department of College of Electrical and Electronic Techniques
Cankaya University Foundation of Technical Education
Ankara, Turkey Baghdad, Iraq
yakeen_sbah@yahoo.com alsaady_dalal@yahoo.com

Abstract — New microstrip antennas based on modified conductor thickness, dielectric layers, feeds as well as the
versions of Minkowski-like pre-fractal closed loop resonators intended band applications [5–10].
have been designed in this study as quasi-fractal devices. Both of
them have been designed using single layer substrate and dual via In this paper, two multi-band antennas based on quasi
ports to operate as multi frequency antennas. The proposed fractal geometry have been investigated with comparative
antennas have compact sizes with good radiation performances, results to each other. Both antennas have small dimensions
which can be adopted in various wireless applications. and high quality performances which can be integrated in
many handheld and personal communication devices.
Keywords — Quasi Fractal Antennas; Compact Microstrip
Antennas; Multi-band Antennas; Electronic Design Automation II. THE PROPOSED ANTENNA MODELING
(EDA). The first microstrip antenna design has been depicted in
Figure1. The geometry of this antenna is based on some
I. INTRODUCTION
transformations on the first iteration of Minkowski-like pre-
Modern communication and wireless systems necessitate fractal closed loop resonator in [11] which has been used in
antennas with multi-frequency operations and compact the design of microstrip bandpass filter. The self similarity and
dimensions than typically possible. This issue has motivated fractional dimension properties of the transformed version of
antenna designers in diverse directions, one of which is by this antenna let us refer to it as a quasi fractal antenna. The
employing fractal geometries. Theoretically, there is an construction of this antenna can be generated from the
essential relation between antenna size and guided wavelength smallest square patch illustrated in Figure 1. This patch
( λ g ). This relation specifies if antenna dimension is smaller generator has a length (h) of 2.5mm. The overall length (L) of
the main microstrip resonator can be determined from the
than 0.25 λ g , then the device is not practical because radiation following equation:!
resistance, bandwidth and gain are decreased and therefore the
antenna size is expanded [1, 2]. L=8h+e (1)

The founded work of Mandelbrot [3] in fractal geometry Where e is the gap between average size square patches in Fig. 1.
had inspired microwave device engineers in their efforts to
design miniature antennas by investigating miscellaneous
fractal geometries as a possible solution for above problem.
These geometries are basically identified by their self
similarity and space filling properties.
Self similarity means that the fractal structure is composed
of sub-units and sub-sub-units on numerous levels that
statistically look like the entire structure. On the other hand,
the space filling property of fractal curves which are
electrically very long has the ability to fit into a compacted
physical size. This property can be exploited in the
miniaturization of antennas [4, 5]. These properties of fractals
have been investigated after finite iterations as desired by the
microwave designers.
Many microstrip fractal antennas have been reported in the Fig. 1. The structure of the first quasi fractal antenna (Antenna 1)
literature in various cases. For instance, Koch, Sierpinski,
circular fractal antennas and others have been released in This gap has been adjusted to be 1mm.Accordingly, the
different researches according to adopted dimensions, slots, side length of the main resonator has been found to be 21 mm.

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 2016 IEEE 36th International Conference on Electronics and Nanotechnology (ELNANO)
Two feeds as via ports have adopted in the first antenna design
as illustrated by Figure 1.
A significant issue in the miniaturization of microstrip
antennas originates from the reality that resonating circuits
should occupy absolute dimensions related to the guided
wavelength, which can be evaluated at the fundamental
frequency (f) by [11-13]:
c
λ = (2)
g f εe

Where c is the speed of light and ε e is effective dielectric

constant. The magnitude of ε e in this study has been
calculated using the approximated equation that can be
adopted in patch antennas as stated in [13] : Fig. 2. The geometry of second quasi fractal antenna (Antenna 2)

εr +1 The simulated return loss response of Antenna 2 has been

εe = (3) depicted in Figure 4. As it can be distinguished from this figure,
2 the second antenna displays more resonant frequencies that
In this context, the proposed first antenna has been appear at 2.095, 2.45, 4.745 and 5.775 GHz respectively under
designed as single layer device using FR4 substrate with a same previous frequency range. The first three resonant
frequencies have been decreased by inserting corner square
relative dielectric constant( ε r ) of 4.4 and a substrate patches because of lengthened physical electrical dimensions of
thickness of 1.6 mm. Antenna 2. Also, these corner patches act as EM perturbation
components to excite Antenna 2 with further resonant
The second microstrp antenna has been initiated from the frequencies within 1-7 GHz frequency sweeping range.
first modeled antenna, but with the inclusion of square patches
in the corner sides of the main resonator as illustrated in 0
Figure 2 using the identical dielectric specifications.The
corner patch length (W) has been set to 5 mm in this antenna -5
design. In this case, the side length for the second microsrip
quasi fractal antenna can be determined by:
-10
Y=L+(2W-2h)=26mm. (4)
S 11(dB )

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION -15 S11(dB)

The Method of Moment (MOM) has been used to analyze

the modeled Antennas 1 and 2 using Microwave Office -20
(MWO) simulator.
This simulator weighs up the antenna response by dividing -25
first the resonator in small fitted grids by solving linear
equations set derived from an integral EM equations.The grid -30
size here has been selected to be 0.5 mm. The antennas have 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7
been run under frequency range from 1 GHz to 7 GHz with Frequency (GHz)
frequency step of 0.005 GHz. Suitable boundary conditions
are selected, and then meshing is performed on the modeled Fig. 3. The return loss response of Antenna 1
antennas to get the superior mesh. In meshing, it is
recognizable that smaller grid size will provide a more In terms of guided wavelength ( λ g ), the dimensions of
accurate solution. However, this constraint will also impose
more time for the computer to solve the problem. For that Antennas 1and 2 have been found to be ( 0.259 λ g x
reason, it is essential to select the proper equivalence between 0.259 λ g ) and ( 0.269 λ g x 0.269 λ g ) respectively according
computation time and a sufficient level of precision.
to their fundamental frequencies.
Figure 3 describes the return loss response of Antenna 1.
This graph shows the multi-frequency mode of this antenna, A summary about simulated result parameters for
where resonances come into view at frequencies of 2.495, 3.03 Antennas 1 and 2 are explained in TABLE 1. It is
and 5.975 GHz, within 1 to 7 GHz frequency range. comprehensible from the table that for both antennas, the
raised magnitude of frequency ratios is obtained. These
antennas have multiple resonant frequencies with reasonable

76
 2016 IEEE 36th International Conference on Electronics and Nanotechnology (ELNANO)
return loss values and diverse bandwidths. Antenna 2 offers PPC-LHCP for Antenna 1
almost better return loss values at their resonant frequencies Mag Max

10
-1 0

20
3 dB

- 20
as compared with Antenna 1. The maximum bandwidth can be

30
-3
0

40
-4
observed at F3 for Antenna 2 with a magnitude of 159 MHz,

0
50
-5
0

while the lowest one can be seen at F2 for the same antenna -6
0
60
PPC-LHCP @2.495 GHz

with a magnitude of 10.7 MHz.

70
-70

80 PPC-LHCP @3.03 GHz

-80

0 90
-90

100 PPC-LHCP @5.975 GHz

-5 -100
110
0
-11
12
-10 -1
20
0

13
0
30
-1

-15

14
40

0
-1

15
50
S11(dB)

0
-1

16 0
0
3 dB Mag Min

-1 6

-1 70
S11(dB)

17 0
180
-20 Per Div -12 dB

-25 Fig. 5. PPC-LHCP radiation patterns for Antenna1

-30 PPC-LHCP for Antenna 2

Mag Max

10
-10

20
5 dB

-20
-35

30
-3
0

40
-4
PPC-LHCP@ 2.095 GHz

0
50

-40
-5
0
60

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7

-6
0
70
PPC-LHCP@ 2.45 GHz
Frequency (GHz) -70

80
-80

90 PPC-LHCP@ 4.745 GHz

Fig. 4. The return loss response of Antenna 2 -90

100

-100
110 PPC-LHCP@ 5.775 GHz
Figures 5-6 and Figures 7-8 explain the PPC-LHCP -11
0
12
0

(Principal Plane Cut Left Hand Circular Polarization) and -1

20

30
13
0

PPC-RHCP (Principal Plane Cut Right Hand Circular

-1

14
40

0
-1

15
50
Polarization) at ij = 0ƕ. RHCP and LHCP are electric field

0
-1

160
0
5 dB Mag Min

-16

-170

170
180
Per Div -20 dB
components that can be determined from following equations
at their resonant frequencies: Fig. 6. PPC-LHCP radiation patterns for Antenna2

E θ + jE ϕ PPC-RHCP for Antenna 1

R HCP = (5) Mag Max
0

2
10
-10

20

10 dB
-20

30
-3
0

40
-4
0

50

and -6
-5
0
60 PPC-RHCP @2.495 GHz
0

E θ − jE ϕ
70
-70

L HCP = . (6) -80

80 PPC-RHCP @3.03 GHz

2 90

PPC-RHCP @5.975 GHz

-90

100

-100

TABLE I. SIMULATED RESULTS SUMMARY FOR ANTENNAS 1 AND 2 -11

0
110

12
0
20
Antenna Resonant Return 10dB Frequency -1

30
13
0

# Frequency(GHz) Loss(dB) Bandwidth(MHz) Ratio -1

14
40

1 f1=2.495 -26.261 73 ……
-1

15
50

0
-1

160
0

5 dB Mag Min
-16

-170

170
180

Per Div -10 dB

1 f2=3.03 -15.61 22.7 f2/f1=1.214

Fig. 7. PPC-RHCP radiation patterns for Antenna 1
1 f3=5.975 -11.44 54.8 f3/f1=2.395
PPC-RHCP for Antenna 2
Mag Max
0

10
-10

2 F1=2.095 -26.289 42.6 …….

20

5 dB
-20

30
-3
0

40
-4
0

50
PPC-RHCP@ 2.095 GHz
2 F2=2.45 -13.375 10.7 F2/F1=1.169
-5
0
60
-6
0
70
PPC-RHCP@ 2.45 GHz
2 F3=4.745 -18.156 159 F3/F1=2.265
-70

80
-80

90
PPC-RHCP@ 4.745 GHz
2 F4=5.775 -38.838 117.8 F4/F1=2.757
-90

100

-100

PPC-RHCP@ 5.775 GHz

110
0
-11
12
0
20
-1

Each antenna has its own radiation pattern according to

13
0
30
-1
14

operating frequency in the PPC-LHCP and PPC-RHCP cases.

40

0
-1

15
05

0
-1

160
0

5 dB Mag Min
-16

-170

Nevertheless, these patterns are up to standard in antenna

170
180

Per Div -20 dB

design theory. Fig. 8. PPC-RHCP radiation patterns for Antenna 2

77
 2016 IEEE 36th International Conference on Electronics and Nanotechnology (ELNANO)
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