MUTUAL COUPLING
IN ANTENNA ARRAYS
- Jagadish. M,
- SRM University.
Antenna Arrays
Assembly of radiating elements in
electrical and geometrical configurations.
Advantages over Single Antenna
High Gain
Increase in Directivity.
But the values of the above parameters are
affected by mutual coupling between the
elements.
Mutual Coupling
When two antennas are near each other,
whether one and/or both are transmitting or
receiving, some of the energy that is primarily
intended for ends up at the another.
This amount primarily depends on
Radiation characteristics of each antenna
Relative separation between the antennas
Relative orientation of each antenna
Mutual Coupling - in transmitting mode
Fig. Transmitting mode coupling paths between antennas m and n.
Mutual Coupling in receiving
mode
Fig. Receiving mode coupling paths between antennas m and n.
Mutual Coupling - Types
Near field coupling.
Far field coupling.
Surface wave coupling.
Can
Mutual Coupling
be completely ceased?
Answer : NO
It can only be reduced.
Mutual Coupling - Reduction
Mutual coupling reduces only by 3dB
when the distance between the antennas
is doubled.
Clearly this is a disadvantage as the size
of the antenna array increases
Mutual Coupling - Reduction
Techniques to reduce mutual coupling are
Machining the dielectric below the patch
Optimizing the antenna dimension so that the
surface wave is not excited.
Covering the patch by additional dielectric layers.
Printing various patterns on dielectric.
Design a two element microstrip
patch antenna array given the
following parameters
Resonant frequency 5.5 GHz
Substrate FR4 Epoxy with dielectric constant 4.4
Height of substrate 1.57 mm
Antenna 1 & 2 Design
Objects Name Position Dimension Material
Antenna 1 BOX 1 59.2, -8.2, 0 12.219, 16.5976, Copper
0.1
BOX 2 38.4, -8.2, 0 12.219, 16.5976,
0.1
Substrate BOX 3 34.9367, -13, 0 39.8734, 26, FR4 Epoxy
-1.57
Ground Plane RECTANGLE 34.9367, -13, Z, 39.8734, 26 Infinite
1 -1.57 Ground
Feeding for Antenna 1 & 2
(Co-axial Feeding)
Objects Name Position Dimension Material
Antenna 1 CYLINDER 1 61.4423, -0.7, 0 0.7, -1.57 PEC
CYLINDER 2 61.4423, -0.7, 0.7, -5
-1.57
CYLINDER 3 61.4423, -0.7, 1.5, -5 Vaccum
-1.57
Antenna 2 CYLINDER 4 40.6423, -0.7, 0 0.7, -1.57 PEC
CYLINDER 5 40.6423, -0.7, 0.7, -5
-1.57
CYLINDER 6 40.6423, -0.7, 1.5, -5 Vaccum
-1.57
Cut for Feeding
Objects Name Position Dimension
Antenna 1 CIRCLE 1 61.4423, -0.7, Radius = 1.5
-1.57
Antenna 2 CIRCLE 2 40.6423, -0.7, Radius = 1.5
-1.57
First Second
Select RECTANGLE 1 CIRCLE 1 Subtract
RECTANGLE 1 CIRCLE 2
Wave-Port Design & Excitation
Objects Name Position Dimension
Antenna 1 CIRCLE 3 61.4423, -0.7, Radius = 1.5
-6.57
Antenna 2 CIRCLE 4 40.6423, -0.7, Radius = 1.5
-6.57
Clicks
Antenna 1 CIRCLE 3 HFSS>Excitation>Assign>Wa None>New
veport>Next line>Draw
lines as
shown>OK
REPEAT THE SAME PROCEDURE FOR ANTENNA 2 BY SELECTING
CIRCLE 4
Radiation Box Design
Objects Name Position Dimension Material
BOX 4 34.9367, -13, -1.57 39.8734, 26, 30 Vaccum
Right Click>Select face>Click on one face of the BOX 4
Right Click>Assign Boundary>Radiation>Click OK
Note : Follow the same procedure for all 5 faces of BOX 4 excluding the bottom
Analysis Setup- Solution Setup
Analysis Setup- Frequency Setup
Radiation Setup
Simulation
Save Project with .hfss extension.
Click Validation Check > Click Ok
Click on Analyze all and run the simulation.
Note down the results.
Design to reduce Mutual
Coupling Between the
Elements of the Array
Ring Structure Between The Elements
Objects Position Dimension Material
Name
BOX 5 51.5, -2, 0 7, 4, 5.57 Copper
BOX 6 53.6, -1.62, 0 3, 3.3, 5.57
First Second
Select Box 5 BOX 6 Subtract
Note : Compare the results with and without Ring Structure
References
[1] Hamideh Kondori1, Mohammad Ali Mansouri-Birjandi2, Saeed
Tavakoli3, Reducing Mutual Coupling in Microstrip ArrayAntenna Using
Metamaterial Spiral Resonator. IJCSI International Journal of Computer
Science Issues, Vol. 9, Issue 3, No 1, May 2012
[2] Marija M. Nikolic, Antonije R. Djordjevic, and Arye
Nehorai,Microstrip Antennas With Suppressed Radiation in Horizontal
Directions and Reduced Coupling IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON
ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 53, NO. 11, NOVEMBER 2005
[3] Tae Yoon Lee, Nak Sun Sung, Ji Hun Bae, Chul Sik Pyo, Jong Suk Chae,
Planar Microstrip Array Antenna, Korea Patent, Registration No. 10-2002-
0074683, Nov. 2002.
Any Questions ?
Thank You All
