Antenna Simulation Overview

Marc Rtschlin, Senior Application Engineer

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 Antenna Design Flow

Environment
Optimisation
Analysis
Antenna Choice

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Choosing an antenna...
Antenna Magus
Explore database
Design antenna
Synthesise array
Estimate performance
Export!

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Categories of Antennas

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Solver Selection
Transient Finite Element Integral
Technique
FIT-T, TLM FEM MOM, MLFMM
Time domain
Approach (Broadband)
Single frequency Single frequency

Volume hex Volume hex, tet

Surface
PBA, Subgridding Curved Tetrahedrons

Meshing
Robust Complex
Complex
Cheap Expensive
Dielectrics?
Conformal Conformal

O(n) O(n2...n3) O(nlog(n)...n3)

Numerical Effort
No numerical
Time step? Push button
dispersion error
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Selected Examples

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 Ultra Wideband Antennas
Direct pulse communication Natural solver choice:
Typical frequency range:
3.1 to 10.6 GHz Excited
pulse
Tailored signal

broadband,
transient
farfield
Received
pulses

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Ultra Wideband Antennas
Design goals for UWB Antenna
Automatic postprocessing
optimization goals.

return loss < -10 dB group delay = flat a cross-correlation peak

Correlation Peak

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Mobile Phone Simulation
Advanced Interface Robust Meshing (PBA)
Imported Structures Efficient Solvers
Bending

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Mobile Phone Simulation
Full Phone Evaluation Post-processing!
Total radiated power / TIS System simulation
Matching Circuit / Load Pull

MIMO / Diversity Hearing Aid Compatibility

Envelope Correlation (HAC)

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Mobile Phone Simulation
Biological Impact:
of body on phone... of phone on body...
TRP including body model Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

< 2 W/kg

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RFID Low Frequency
Near (H-)field coupling 13.56 MHz
Electrically small

reader coil

tag

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 RFID Low Frequency
Near (H-)field coupling
= 22.2 m 13.56 MHz
Electrically small

reader coil

tag

small size & features

small time step! 0.001 mm gap
= 10-5 !
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RFID High Frequency
Radiating antenna NXP G2XM chip
Z = 14.8
Poor j128
match?
RFID chip

915 MHz
S11 = -8 dB
S11 = -0.3 dB

0.15 mm

courtesy of UPM RFID

www.upmrfid.com

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RFID High Frequency
Radiating antenna or , depending on antenna
RFID chip

915 MHz

0.15 mm

courtesy of UPM RFID

www.upmrfid.com effect of chip on fields
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RFID High Frequency
Radiating antenna
RFID chip
Tag in situ peaks
dips

4 GB
hours...
RAM

25 GB
hours...
RAM

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RFID High Frequency
Radiating antenna
RFID chip
Reader System

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Reflector Antennas
Electrically large 12 GHz
= 25 mm
Lots of air!
Options:
1. full wave
Large volume to surface ratio?
simulation
2. split the
Dont mesh the volume!
problem

400 mm
16

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Reflector Antennas
Options: Assembly Mode
1. full wave in CST DS 2011
simulation 100 %
2. split the
10 %
problem

5%
reflector farfield
5% as a function of
1% feed geometry

Use the appropriate solver(s)!

Optimise the system...
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Installed Performance
Electrically large
stacked bicone
Full wave simulation omnidirectional
antenna 3.5 GHz

radome
feed

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Installed Performance
Electrically large
Full wave sim.

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Installed Performance
Electrically large
Farfield source
Options: 3 hours
1. full wave
simulation
2. split the
problem

3 min 4 min
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Installed Performance
Electrically large
Field sources
Co-site analysis
radome

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Small Antenna Arrays
All elements different
simulate all!
Optimise post-processing 1 2
combination of fields. 1
2

6 6 3
3

5
4
5 4

1 2 3 4

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Small Antenna Arrays
All elements different
simulate all!
Optimise post-processing
combination of fields.

Original Optimised
beam beam
shape shape amplitude weightings

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Large Antenna Arrays
Most elements the same array factor
simulate one.
HPC full simulation to
account for edge effects.

unit cell boundary condition

scan blindness at 45 strong radiation at 30

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 Matching Networks
CST DESIGN STUDIO
Coil
operating
at 13.56
MHz

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Conclusion

Complete Technology...
Methods to suit any task!

Automated processing of results...

Get the output you want!

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