Printed Folded Dipole Antenna Design for Rectenna

and RFID Applications

Hubregt J. Visser
Holst Centre / imec
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
huib.visser@imec-nl.nl


Abstract An approximate or engineering model for a
modified, asymmetric strip folded dipole antenna is discussed.
The modification consists of adding short-circuit strips in the
folded dipole arms, thereby giving means for input impedance
tuning. This tuning is necessary for directly matching the
antenna to the complex input impedance of the rectifier that is
connected to the antenna to form a rectifying antenna or
rectenna. The engineering model, when implemented in software,
results in fast calculation times and allows implementation in an
optimization shell for automatic antenna synthesis. To be able to
use the antenna/rectenna in close proximity to a metallic object,
while maintaining its low profile, the antenna will be placed on a
thin EBG structure. First analysis results are demonstrated.
Index Termsantenna; rectenna; folded dipole; EBG;
impedance matching
I. INTRODUCTION
RF energy transport has been demonstrated to be a feasible
remote powering technology for low power, wireless sensors
[1]. To realize compact, efficient rectifying antennas
(rectennas), it is advantageous to directly match the antenna to
the rectifying circuit. The rectifying circuit in its most basic
form a single Schottky diode will have a complex input
impedance that is a function of input power, see Fig. 1 [2].

Figure 1. Calculated real and imaginary values of the input impedance of a
short-circuited diode as a function of available input power at f=2.45GHz.
Diodes: Avago HSMS-2850, HSMS-2860, HSMS-2820 and HBAT-5400.
Choosing the antenna input impedance has a large effect on
the rectenna or RFID efficiency. Figure 2 shows the input
impedance matching efficiency [3] as a function of input power
for an antenna matched to a HSMS-2850 Schottky diode for
0dBm and -15dBm input power.

Figure 2. Calculated impedance matching efficiency for an antenna,
operating at 2.45GHz, connected to an Avago HSMS-2850 Schottky diode as
a function of available input power. 0dBm indicates an antenna input
impedance ZR=(71+j84). -15dBm indicates ZR=(11+j109).
The Figure shows that it makes sense to assess the expected
RF input power levels before deciding on the antenna design. It
may suffice to choose between two antenna impedances. For
the chosen rectifier, Figure 3 shows that for P
inc
< -10dBm, the
antenna should have an input impedance of (11+j109) and for
P
inc
> -10dBm, the antenna should have an input impedance of
(71+j84).
After the optimum impedance has been determined, we
need to realize an antenna having that input impedance.
Although we have been able to design an edge-fed, rectangular
microstrip patch antenna optimized for 0dBm RF input power
[4], we cannot easily realize every desired input impedance
with such a configuration. Moreover, from a manufacturing
and cost point of view it may be undesirable to use a
technology that needs via connections to a ground plane.
Therefore, we have chosen to use a modified printed folded
dipole antenna.
II. PRINTED FOLDED DIPOLE ANTENNA
The input impedance of a wire or printed folded dipole
antenna, see Fig. 3(a, b), is given by [5, 6]
978-88-907018-3-2/13 2013 IEEE
7th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP 2013) - Convened Sessions
2852

( )
( )
t d
t d
in
Z Z q
Z Z q
Z
2 1
1 2
2
2
+ +
+
= , (1) + = . (1) (1)
where Z
d
is the impedance of an equivalent dipole, (1+q)
2
is the
step-up impedance ratio and Z
t
is the impedance of a shorted
stub transmission line of length L/2. The calculation of these
impedances can be found in [6].
Since the length of the printed folded dipole antenna
determines the operational frequency, only the widths of the
arms and the separation of the arms are available for input
impedance tuning. This turns out to be too restrictive for
practical antenna designs.
By placing short circuits in the arms of the folded dipole
antenna, see Figure 3 (c, d), the transmission line stubs get
lengths different from L/2. Thus, the input impedance can be
modified without changing the dipole characteristics of the
antenna. This principle has been demonstrated in [7] for wire
folded dipole antennas with symmetrically placed short circuits
and has been recognized earlier in [8] for strip folded dipole
antennas.

Figure 3. Folded dipole antennas. (a) Wire folded dipole antenna. (b) Printed
folded dipole antenna. (c) Modified wire folded dipole antenna. (d) Modified
printed folded dipole antenna.
By placing the short circuits asymmetrically with respect to
the feeding location, see Figure 3(c, d), an additional degree of
freedom is realized in tuning the input impedance.
The input impedance for a strip folded dipole antenna with
symmetrically placed short circuits is calculated with equation
(1). The length L/2 used as input for Z
t
is replaced by the
shortened stub length. For asymmetrically placed short circuits,
see Figure 3, the folded dipole input impedance is calculated as
the sum of the input impedances of two folded monopole
antennas, see Figure 4. For these monopole antennas, the
appropriate stub lengths are used as input for Z
t1
(L
1
/2) and Z
t2

(L
2
/2). The folded monopole impedances are calculated as half
the values of the folded dipole impedances with symmetrically
placed short circuits:
( )
( )
( )
( )
.
2 1
1 2
2 1
1 2
2
1
2
2
2
2
1
2
1
2

+ +
+
+
+ +
+
=
t d
t d
t d
t d
in
Z Z q
Z Z q
Z Z q
Z Z q
Z
(2)


Figure 4. A folded dipole antenna with asymmetrically placed short circuits
may be regarded as consisting of two folded monopole antennas.
The theory has been used to design a modified strip folded
dipole antenna optimized for an input power of -15dBm at
2.45GHz when connected to an Avago HSMS-2850 Schottky
diode. The required input impedance is thus (11+j109) at
2.45GHz. Figure 5 shows the real and imaginary part of the
input impedance as a function of frequency as calculated with
our transmission line model and as calculated in CST
Microwave Studio , using the time domain solver.
Figure 5. Input impedance (Zin) as a function of frequency as calculated with
the transmission line model and calculated with CST Microwave Studio.
The dimensions of the modified folded dipole antenna are, see Figure 3: L =
58mm, L1 = 10mm, L2 = 8mm, W1 = 4mm, W2 = 5mm, d = 1mm, a = 1mm.
The dielectric is 1mm thick, r = 2.8.
The full-wave analysis results are being used as a reference,
replacing measurements. Then, it follows from Figure 5 that
the transmission line model may be used to generate a
preliminary design to be fine-tuned with a few iterations of the
full-wave analysis program. Thus, the total design time has
been severely shortened.
The use of the full-wave analysis results as a reference is
allowed as a comparison of simulations and measurements for
a similar antenna structure show. The antenna structure a
modified strip folded dipole antenna is shown in Figure 6.
Measured and calculated impedance values as a function of
frequency are shown in Figure 7.

7th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP 2013) - Convened Sessions
2853
Figure 6. Modified strip folded dipole antenna on foil. The dimensions of the
modified folded dipole antenna are, see Figure 3: L = 60mm, L1 = 32mm, L2 =
32mm, W1 = 10mm, W2 = 5mm, d = 1mm, a = 2mm. The dielectric is 0.5mm
thick, r = 2.67.
The balanced antenna is measured with an unbalanced
vector network analyzer using the technique described in [9].
Figure 6 also shows the rig made of connected pieces of semi-
rigid cable necessary for the measurements.

Figure 7. Simulated and measured input impedance as a function of
frequency for the modified strip folded dipole antenna shown in Figure
6.Differences are believed to be due to construction and calibration errors of
the measurement rig.
We have found an antenna capable to be tuned to a desired
complex input impedance and a strategy to design such an
antenna. A drawback of this antenna is however that it cannot
be used on or near metallic objects. To overcome this problem
we have started to investigate the use of Electromagnetic Band
Gap (EBG) structures.
III. ANTENNA ON EBG GROUND PLANE
When the antenna discussed in the previous section is
brought close to a metallic ground plane, the input impedance
will deteriorate due to the coupling with the antenna image.
Since the currents in the image are in anti-phase with the
original antenna, the radiation will be nearly annihilated and
the radiation efficiency will decrease seriously.
To overcome both these negative effects an EBG ground
plane can be employed that ensures a reflection phase of 90
degrees [10]. An electrically conducting ground plane will give
a 180 degrees reflection phase, a magnetic ground plane would
give a zero degree reflection phase.
We start by designing a modified strip folded dipole
antenna, optimized for an incident RF power of -15dBm at
2.45GHz. The dimensions (see Figure 3) are: L = 58mm, L
1
=
10mm, L
2
= 8mm, W
1
= 4mm, W
2
= 5mm and d = 1mm. The
antenna is made of copper and placed on a 1mm thick
dielectric with
r
= 2.8. The (simulated) input impedance at
2.45GHz is (15+j107), which is regarded as close enough to
the desired value of (11+j109).
Next, we design an EBG ground plane consisting of
gridded square loops [11] on a grounded dielectric slab with
periodicity p, see Figure 8. The reason for choosing this
configuration is that for production and cost reasons we do
not want to have via connections between the EBG pattern and
the ground plane. This withstanding the fact that using vias will
result in a superior behavior and design freedom [12].

Figure 8. Gridded square loops.
Through an infinite array unit cell analysis in CST
Microwave Studio the dimensions are found for a 9045
degrees phase reflection coefficient around 2.45GHz. For W
1
=
W
2
= 2mm, g = 1mm and p = 24mm and a dielectric slab of
1mm thickness and
r
= 2.8 and a similar superstrate, the
desired reflection phase is found between 2.43 and 2.47GHz.
For these dimensions we have investigated the surface
wave stopband characteristics through a simulated suspended
transmission line technique [12], see Figure 9. The figure
shows a bandgap behavior in the frequency range of interest
(2.43 2.47GHz).
Next, the modified strip folded dipole antenna is placed on
the EBG structure. The superstrate of the EBG structure is used
as the substrate of the modified folded dipole antenna. The
EBG structure is chosen to consist of five times three unit cells,
with the antenna symmetrically positioned on top such that the
feeding area is not over a metallic part of the EBG pattern, see
Figure 10.

7th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP 2013) - Convened Sessions
2854

Figure 9. Simulated transmission through a suspended microstrip
transmission line over an EBG ground plane.

Figure 10. Modified strip folded dipole antenna on top of an EBG ground
plane.
The structure has been analyzed and results in an input
impedance of (17+j91) at 2.45GHz. It is expected that with a
slight alteration of the short circuit positions in the antenna this
impedance may be tuned to the desired value. The radiation
patterns are directed forward with a directivity of between 8.8
and 9dBi for frequencies ranging between 2.43 and 2.46GHz.
Above 2.46GHz, surface waves start to propagate, resulting in
the creation of additional radiation lobes. Figures 11 and 12
show the surface current distribution and the radiation pattern
for 2.45GHz.



Figure 11. Surface current distribution at 2.45GHz.
Figure 12. Radiation pattern at 2.45GHz.
IV. CONCLUSIONS
For rectenna or RFID applications antennas need to be
tuned to a complex input impedance. To overcome the tuning
shortcomings of a microstrip antenna, a modified strip dipole
antenna is introduced with an accompanying transmission line
model. To employ this antenna near metallic surfaces, the use
of an EBG ground plane is proposed. First simulation
experiments prove the validity of this approach. Through the
use of transmission line models initial designs of the antenna
and the EBG ground plane may be generated. The combination
of the two may then be fine tuned in a few full-wave iterations.
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