UWB Antenna Analysis



The follow project details an investigation comparing the performance of two UWB Antennas for PCB applications, one utilizing a monopole design and the other utilizing a modified patch design. Both simulated on a bandwidth of 1[GHz] to 13[GHz] with specific focus on the performance at 3[GHz], 8[GHz], and 10[GHz] as to measure performance at discrete frequencies within IEEE 802.15.4z specifications for UWB antennas. The main figures of merit compared being Omnidirectionality, VSWR, and Return Loss over the specified bandwidth. 



UWB pentagon patch features a standard feed patch antenna with slots and stubs in both ground and antenna planes to achieve a wideband functionality with better impedance bandwidth than a traditional patch antenna.


The PCB  monopole antenna which is modified in order to achieve an omnidirectional radiation pattern and wide impedance match. Wide rectangular monopoles are simple in geometry and provide a radiation pattern which degrades less within the impedance bandwidth. The trident-shaped portion of the feeding strip provides a bandwidth enhancement of the square monopole. The proposed planar monopole antenna retains a simple configuration and can be fed utilizing a 50 ohm transmission line without the need for any external feeding network.  The antenna is fed via a linearly tapered impedance transformer into a trident feed.



Two approaches to implementing a printed UWB antenna which are compliant with the IEEE 802.15.4z. Both antennas were evaluated in terms of the radiation pattern as well as the match. Demonstrating that the monopole antenna provides a more stable omnidirectional radiation pattern as compared to the pentagon patch at the expense of slight losses to gain and VSWR. Both antennas provide a compact low cost solution ultimately dependent upon the available size and preference of omni directionality or gain/vswr performance of the specific application.