Study of the Printed Dipole Antenna with a Parallel Metal Plate

Zhou Yang, Huang Jingjian, Wu Weiwei, and Yuan Naichang

Department of Electronic Science and Engineering
National University of Defense Technology
Changsha, Hunan, Peoples Republic of China
zhouyangantelope@163.com

AbstractThis paper presents a printed dipole antenna with a

parallel metal plate, exploring the impact of the distance and
relative position between the metal plate and the printed dipole
antenna. The characteristics of the antenna such as reflection
coefficient S11, radiation patterns, and realized gain are given.
There are many differences between the printed dipole
antenna with a parallel metal plate and without a metal plate.
Our paper also presents these differences.

TABLE I.

DIMENSIONS OF THE PRINTED DIPOLE ANTENNA

L_bichang
W_bikuan
L_a
W_a

70mm
10mm
58mm
1.6mm

Keywords- printed dipole antenna, parallel metal plate,

distance, relative position

L_b
W_b
W_s

35mm
1.6mm
2mm

L_ bichang
W_ bikuan

I.

INTRODUCTION

Printed dipole antenna[1], [2] with integrated balun [3]

has the advantages of small size, light weight, thin profile,
masses manufacturing, easy integration to be an array, and
etc. It is widely used in the field of wireless communication
and radar. Printed dipole antenna is usually perpendicular to
a metal plate [4], or extended from a ground plane [5]. But in
some cases the printed dipole antenna needs to be parallel to
the metal plate and over or under the metal plate. It can be
used to devise the printed dipole antenna to satisfy the
following conditions as much as possible be coplanar (thin)
and surface conformal and especially be operable on
conductive support (e.g. metal-skin of aircraft). This article
describes the radiation characteristics of the printed dipole
antenna which parallel to the metal plate.

L_b

L_a

W_b

W_a
Port

Figure 1. Geometry of the printed dipole antenna.

2
0
-2
-4

PRINTED DIPOLE ANTENNA

S11(dB)

II.

W_s

The structure of the printed dipole antenna is shown in

Fig. 1. It consists of dipole arm and microstrip feed balun. A
and thickness of t=0.5mm
dielectric permittivity of
is used. The dimensions of the printed dipole antenna are
shown in Table 1.
Fig. 2 shows simulated S11 and realized gain of the
antenna from 1-3GHz. Fig. 3 shows the radiation patterns of
the printed dipole at 2.2GHz. From the figures we can see
that the printed dipole antenna has the approximate 40%
relative bandwidth and a stable gain of 2-3dB over the entire
band. It also has a wide E-plane pattern, proximity
omnidirectional H-plane pattern.

-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
-16
-18

1.0

1.5

2.0
Frequency(GHz)

(a) S11

____________________________________
978-1-47-8126-0 /1/$31.00 201 IEEE
374

2.5

3.0

III.

10

PRINTED DIPOLE ANTENNA WITH A PARALLEL

METAL PLATE

RealizedGain(dB)

The printed dipole antenna with a parallel metal plate is

shown in Fig. 4. The printed dipole antenna is usually
perpendicular to a metal plate such as shown in Fig.
4(a).When we used the printed dipole antenna with a parallel
metal plate such as shown in Fig. 4(b), we need study the
radiation characteristics of the printed dipole antenna. We
construct the model of the single printed dipole antenna with
a parallel metal plate in Fig. 4(c). The printed dipole
antennas arranges at x axis, so we discuss other two
directions y and z. The length of the metal plate L is 300mm
and its width W is 130mm. From the Fig. 4(c), we can see
the distance between the metal plate and the printed dipole is
along the z axis is h. The printed dipole antenna extend from
the metal plate is d.

0
-5
-10
-15
-20
0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Frequency (GHz)

(b) Realized Gain

Figure 2. Simulated S11 and realized gain for the printed dipole antenna.

(a)

(a) 3D pattern

(b)

5
0
-5
-10
-60
-15
-20
-25
-30
-90
-30
-25
-20
-15
-120
-10
-5
0
5

30

60

y
x

Realized Gain(dB)

0
-30

90

L
120

(c)
Figure 4. The printed dipole antenna with a parallel metal plate.

-150

150
-180

Fig. 5 shows simulated S11 and realized gain of the

antenna with the parallel metal plate. Different distances h
between the metal plate and the printed dipole are
investigated. We change h from -30mm to 30mm by step
10mm. As a result of changing h, the closer the metal plate
plane, the value of S11 is greater and the gain is smaller. But
there is little difference between when the metal plate is put
in front of the dipole and when the metal plate is put in rear
of the dipole.

(b) E-plane pattern

0
5

-30

30

0
-5

60

-60

Realized Gain(dB)

-10
-15
-20 -90

90

-15
-10
-5

-120

120

0
5

-150

150
180

(c) H-plane pattern

Figure 3. Radiation pattern of the printed dipole at 2.2 GHz.

375

2
-2

-4

-5
Realized Gain(dB)

S11(dB)

-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
-16
-18
-20
0.5

330

h=-30
h=-20
h=-10
h=0
h=10
h=20
h=30

1.0

300

-15
-20 270

90

-15
-10
-5

240

120

0
5

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

210

150
180

3.5

(b) E-plane pattern

0
10

(a) S11 with different h

330

h=-30
h=-20
h=-10
h=0
h=10
h=20
h=30

30

10

0
-5
Realized Gain(dB)

RealizedGain(dB)

60

-10

Frequency(GHz)

-10
-20

-40

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

300

60

-10
-15
-20 270

90

-15
-10
-5

h=-30
h= -20
h=-10
0
h=10
h=20
h=30

-30

-50
0.5

h=-30
h=-20
h=-10
h=0
h=10
h=20
h=30

30

240

120

0
5
10

210

150
180

(c) H-plane pattern

3.5

Figure 6. Radiation pattern of the printed dipole with a parallel metal

plate (with different h).

Frequency(GHz)

(b) Realized Gain with different h

Figure 5. Simulated S11 and realized gain of the printed dipole antenna
with a parallel metal plate.

The radiation pattern of the printed dipole antenna with

the parallel metal plate is shown in Fig. 6.
As can be seen from Fig. 6, when h is changed, E-plane
patterns of the antenna maintain unchanged and the H-plane
patterns become smaller which is due to the impact of the
reflection of the metal plate. And the distance to the metal
plate is smaller, the gain becomes smaller.
Now, different position between the metal plate and the
printed dipole are investigated. We changed from -30mm to
30mm by step 10mm. Fig. 7 shows simulated S11 and
realized gain of the antenna with the parallel metal plate.
When h=10 and changing the relative position of the
metal plate and the printed dipole, the S11 of the antenna
will be increased. When d=-30, the metal plate far away
from the dipole, E-plane pattern is essentially the same.
Because of the metal plate reflection H-plane pattern
essentially radiates half-space, increases gain than the
original dipole about 2-3 dB . With the position of the metal
plate getting closer, the gain is smaller, the antenna E-plane
pattern substantially unchanged, H-plane pattern due to the
presence of the reflecting surface will be off-axis at an angle.
The closer between the antenna and reflecting metal plate,
the greater the angle of off-axis direction will be.

(a) 3D pattern of the printed dipole with a parallel metal plate (d=0,
h=10mm, f=2.2GHz)

376

2
0
-2

S11(dB)

-4
-6

d=-30
d=-20
d=-10
d=0
d= 10
d=20
d= 30

-8
-10
-12
-14
0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Frequency(GHz)

(a)S11 with different d

(a)

10

RealizedGain(dB)

0
-10
-20
d=-30
d=-20
d=-10
d=0
d=10
d=20
d=30

-30
-40
-50

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

(b)

Frequency (GHz)

(b) Realized Gain with different d

Figure 7. Simulated S11 and realized gain of the printed dipole antenna
with a parallel metal plate.
0
330

d=-30
d=-20
d=-10
d=0
d=10
d=20
d=30

30

Realized Gain(dB)

-5

300

60

-10
-15
-20 270

90

-15
-10
-5

240

120

0
5

210

(c)

150
180

(a) E-plane pattern

0
10

330

d=-30
d=-20
d=-10
d=0
d=10
d=20
d=30

30

5
0

Realized Gain(dB)

-5

300

60

-10
-15
-20 270

90

-15
-10
-5

240

120

(d)

0
5
10

210

150
180

(b) H-plane pattern

Figure 8. Radiation patterns of the printed dipole with a parallel metal
plate (with different d).

377

0
10

330

In order to study the mutual coupling between the

multiple dipole antennas, we have established a model
shown in Fig. 9(a) and Fig. 9(b). One is a single dipole
parallel to the metal plane, the other one is three adjacent
dipole antenna parallel to the plane of the same metal. The
results obtained by simulation shown in Fig. 9(c), (d), (e), (f).

E-plane
H-plane

30

0
-10

Realized Gain(dB)

-20

300

60

-30
-40
-40

90

270

IV.

-30
-20
-10

240

0
10

210

150
180

(e)

Realized Gain(dB)

0
5
0
-5
300
-10
-15
-20
-25
-30 270
-25
-20
-15
-10
240
-5
0
5

E-plane
H-plane

30

330

CONCLUSION

A printed dipole antenna with a parallel metal plate has

been presented. This article shows the differences between
the printed dipole antenna with a parallel metal plate and
without a metal plate. With the position or distance of the
metal plate getting closer, the S11 becomes greater, the
realized gain is smaller, and the printed dipole antenna
pattern becomes more different than its original pattern.

120

60

REFERENCES
90

[1]
[2]

120

210

150

[3]

180

(f)
Figure 9. Simulated of the printed dipole and antenna and three dipole
antennas with a parallel metal plate (a) the printed dipole antenna with a
parallel metal plate (d=0, h=30mm, f=2.2GHz) (b) three printed dipole
antennas with a parallel metal plate (c) 3D pattern of one printed dipole (d)
3D pattern of three printed dipoles (e) Radiation patterns of one printed
dipole (f) Radiation patterns of three printed dipoles.

[4]

[5]

378

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K. Tilley, X. D. Wu and K. Chang, Coplanar waveguide fed
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344-346, 2004.
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