Improved Vivaldi Antenna with Radiation Pattern Control Features

TELKOMNIKA, Vol.16, No.3, June 2018, pp. 1143~1149
ISSN: 1693-6930, accredited A by DIKTI, Decree No: 58/DIKTI/Kep/2013
DOI: 10.12928/TELKOMNIKA.v16i3.9039  1143
Received November 25, 2017; Revised March 18, 2018; Accepted April 23, 2018
Improved Vivaldi Antenna with Radiation Pattern
Control Features
Delphine Abijuru, M.R.Hamid*, Ali.N.Obadiah
1
Advanced RF and Microwave Research Group(ARFMRG), Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti
Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru 81310 Johor, Malaysia
*Corresponding author, e-mail: rijal@fke.utm.my
Abstract
Vivaldi antenna has been considered as a mitigation to the scattering effect of an antenna.
However, the current performance of Vivaldi antenna suffers from multipath effect, interfering signals and
radiation pattern control. This paper proposed an improved Vivaldi antenna which combined triple radiating
slot to enable control of radiation pattern features. This is accomplished by controlling the position of the
radiating element through the asymmetric arrangement of ideal switches to steer the beam in three
desired-directions. The Using operating frequency lied between 900 MHz and 2.5GHz, the proposed
design was fabricated and tested. Depending on the radiating element, the proposed anten na covered
about ±90º with an almost equal gain at the three different focal in contrast to ±45º coverage of traditional
rectangular microstrip antenna beam. The results satisfied pattern reconfigurability and the proposed
design can be very useful for wireless communications where multipath fading problems are frequently
encountered.
Keywords:pattern reconfigurability,vivaldi antenna.taper slot,beam steering
Copyright © 2018 Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
In recent decade, reconfigurable antennas have attracted myriad positive reviews in
contrast to other types of antennas due to their numerous application. This positive reviews can
be attributed to the relative ease- of- implementation, adaptation and flexibility in terms of
frequency, pattern and polarization [1-5]. In a multipath fading environment, it has been
suggested to hold an antenna that can indicate the primary shaft to the desired coverage area
while slimming down the unwanted beam in other charges, therefore mitigating the multipath
propagation, consequently improve the channel capacity [6-7], several reconfigurable antennas
have been investigated to suit different applications employing different feeding techniques such
as microstrip line feeding [8-9], CPW to slot-line feeding [10], Antipodal feed [11]. Furthermore,
different studies have been conducted on a switching microstrip element to steer the beam,
in [12], a novel pattern control antenna was designed to guide the pattern null with a beam of
64º centered at broadside direction and provided a depth nulls greater than 18dB.
A pattern reconfigurable microstrip patch antenna achieved 9 distinguished angular
direction with the use of 4-RF switches, yielded more than 70 percent efficiency while its linear
polarization is preserved [6]. Shynu and Max [13] proposed a reconfigurable antenna with
pattern switching of 65º and45ºin the fundamental mode of elevation and azimuth by means of
Pin- diodes arrangement. Beam switching was realized in 4 directions while maintaining the
resonant frequency and beamwidth. Greg and Jennifer [9] highlighted several important steps in
the simultaneous integration of packaged RF- MEMS devices to the radiating structure of a
microstrip antenna capable of reconfigurable pattern behavior.
Other technologies such as C2X (Car to Car) communication and Unmanned Aerial
vehicles (UAVs) that are used for enhancing road safety and traffic efficiency do require such
pattern reconfigurability to suit the demands of mitigating the problems of interferences between
users and electronic jamming by channeling the main beam toward the direction of the incoming
signals [14-15]. Though substantial progress has been achieved in this field, many applications
do not require the level of complexity, which translate into higher power consumption.
Therefore, there is still a need for a controlled radiation pattern antenna which is physically

 ISSN: 1693-6930
TELKOMNIKA Vol. 16, No. 3, June 2018: 1143–1149
1144
smaller and less complex, with high directivity and strong resistance to electronic- warfare-
systems (EW) so as to ensure that the radiation emitted is concentrated in a single direction.
In view of these shortcomings, an improved Vivaldi antenna with a controlled radiation
pattern is proposed in this paper. The idea is based on combining three Vivaldi antennas into
one single radiating structure as to act as a singular unit multiple antennas fed by a
microstripline by means of ideal switches, depending on the radiating elements, beams are
steered from -90ºto 90ºfor the three different directions. This logic is examined in the remainder
of this manuscript. The manuscript is organized as follows, in section II, the antenna structure
and analysis are explained, in section III, the simulated and measured results are presented and
finally, the conclusions and future recommendation are given in section IV.
Figure 1. Antenna Structure and Simulated Return Loss
2. Antenna Structure and Analysis
The antenna proposed in this study as depicted in Figure 1 is a combination of three
Vivaldi antenna which is designed on a FR4 substrate characterized by dielectric constant of 4.3
and a tangent loss of 0.025.The substrate is configured in a manner that the three taper slot has
equal length of 103.9mm. Three ideal switches are incorporated in the form of metal bridge of
1mm×1mmto allow the signal to radiate towards the intended direction.
The operating frequency ranges between 900MHz to 2.5GHz covering GSM, GPS and
Bluetooth operating bands. When designing a Vivaldi antenna, two major criteria are set into
consideration. The first includes the modulation from the main transmission line (usually
microstripline) to a slot-line for feeding the antenna, this modulation is characterized by a broad
range of operating frequency. In addition, it should be characterized by a low reflection
coefficient, which is capable of matching the potency of the antenna[16], secondly,
consideration should be given to the dimensions and configurations of the antenna that is
typically required to get the needed beam-width, sidelines and back lobes over the operating
frequency range are also considered [17]. To achieve these conditions, the configuration
presented in Table 1 are considered for parameter optimization in this study.
Table 1. Detailed Parameters of the Proposed Design
Variable Dimension (mm)
Thickness of the substrate (T) 1.6
Permittivity(εr) 4.3
Tangent loss(δ)
Substrate size(W×L)
Antenna length(D)
Aperture size(H)
Circular slot radius(Cr )
Terminated Radius Circle(Rf)
Feedline w idth(Wf)
Horizontal taper slot radius
Verticaltaper slot radius
Ideal sw itches(S1,S2,S3)
0.025
165×210
160.28
83.2
4.5
5.1
2.75
30
40
1×1

TELKOMNIKA ISSN: 1693-6930 
Improved Vivaldi Antenna with Radiation Pattern Control Features (Delphine Abijuru)
1145
In this design, three ideal switches (S1, S2, S3) will determine which slot is radiating, for
the Up mode, S1 is open while S2 and S3 are short- circuited to prevent the current to flow in
other directions and when S2 and S1 are On, S3 will be Open and the current will flow in the left
mode, while for the right mode to radiate, S1 and S3 should be On, and S2 will be Open.
3. Simulated and Measured Results
In order to evaluate the proposed Vivaldi antenna design, a prototype of the design with
metal strips acting as switches is simulated, fabricated and tested, the photographic depiction of
the fabricated Vivaldi antenna prototype is shown in Figure 2a. The reflection coefficients and
radiation pattern are measured for three different modes (Up, Left and Right) of the designed
Vivaldi antenna at three different operating frequencies (900MHz, 1800MHz and 2.5GHz). This
was carried out using an E5071C network analyzer and in an anechoic chamber. The
measurement results are further enumerated in Figure 2b, Figure 3, Figure 4 and Figure 5. The
S11 characteristics of the simulated and measured result of the Up-Left- Right mode is depicted
in Figure 2b. Results of the pattern characteristics among the three frequency ranges; 900MHz,
1800MHz and 2.5GHz, is presented in Figure 3, Figure 4 and Figure 5.These characteristics are
further examined from the three modes: the Up-Left-Right mode to observe the characteristic
pattern of each design in the E-plane and H- plane respectively.
Figure 2a. Photograph of the fabricated Vivaldi reconfigurable antenna
Figure 2b. Simulated vs Measured Results (UP Mode, Right Mode and Left Mode)
As it is illustrated in Figure 2b, the simulated return loss is less than -10 dB for the three
examined directions covering a wideband starting from 900 MHz to 2.5GHz, which implies that
90% of the signal was transmitted with only 10% reflected, however, during the fabrication

 ISSN: 1693-6930
1146
process, some reflection occurred due to slight misalignment which lead to a small frequency
shift between simulation and measurement. Figure 2b highlights the comparison made between
the measured and simulated results. From the graph, we can see that the measured frequency
bandwidth in the Up mode ( reflection coefficient below -10dB) covers 820MHz-2.5GHz with
some fluctuation around 1.9GHz(-9dB) and 2-3GHz to 2.5GHz(-8dB) which is within the
acceptable limit. On the other hand, the measured S11 responses in the Left and Right mode
are very close to the simulated one though a negligible shifting in the resonance is observed,
which is still covering the band(900MHz-2.5GHz) which is about 60MHz wider than the
measured bandwidth(960MHz-2.5GHz). Nonetheless the wideband remained relatively
significant.
In terms of radiation pattern control, the taper slot radiates at an almost equal gain in
the desired beam while maintaining the antenna performance stable. The radiation pattern was
simulated and measured for three different operating frequencies in the E and H plane and the
results are compared as shown in Figure 3, Figure 4 and Figure 5. At the lower frequency
(900MHz), the main lobe direction of 152º and 25º respectively was observed in the left and
right mode with 3dB beamwidth above 90º and the radiation does not deviate towards other
undesired directions.
Figure 3a. Simulated vs Measured E- Plane Results in the UP mode at 900MHz,
1800MHz and 2.5GHz
Figure 3b. Simulated vs Measured H- Plane Results in the UP mode at 900MHz,
1800MHz and 2.5GHz

1147
Figure 4a. Simulated vs Measured E- Plane Results in the Right mode at 900MHz,
1800MHz and 2.5GHz
Figure 4b. Simulated vs Measured H- Plane Results in the Right mode at 900MHz,
1800MHz and 2.5GHz
Figure 5a. Simulated vs Measured E-Plane Results in the Left mode at 900MHz,
1800MHz and 2.5GHz

 ISSN: 1693-6930
1148
As for the middle frequency (1.8GHz), main lobe is directed towards 51º, 26º and 154º
at a side lobe level as low as -1.6dB which can be considered as an improvement. However, at
the higher frequency (2.5GHz), the radiation pattern agrees with the lower frequency with a
stable 3dB beamwidth above 90º a steady increase in the gain was observed for the three
modes. As shown in table 2at a particular frequency (2.45GHz), the gain was also simulated
and measured, it can be seen that the gain was almost equal, though there is a slight difference
between the simulated and measured radiation pattern, which can be attributed to errors that
occurred during the measurement in the anechoic chamber, the proposed design satisfied the
pattern reconfigurability. This observation, therefore satisfies the core objective of this study.
Radiation signals were directed towards desired directions while maintaining the gain equality,
thus reducing the interference.
Figure 5b. Simulated vs Measured H- Plane Results in the Left mode at 900MHz,
1800MHz and 2.5GHz.
Table 2. Simulated vs Measured Gain at 2.45GHz
Modes Gain(dB)
Simulated Up
Right
Left
4.16
4.65
4.71
Measured Up
Right
Left
4.44
5.8
6
4. Conclusion
An Improved Vivaldi antenna with pattern control was designed and the study
achieved 3 different beam angular position at three different frequencies, while a nearly equal
gain was observed. The simulated results of the proposed antenna proved that changing the
radiating element would ensure a better way to enable wireless communication systems to
avoid noisy environment by maneuvering away from electronic jamming, consequently,
optimizing the radiation energy by redirecting the signals towards only the user thus increase
the channel capacity and broaden the coverage area of the wireless system. In the future work,
the evaluation of the performance of the fabricated antenna with real switches compared to this
with ideal switches will be carried out, an improvement on how to increase the gain for the Left
and Right Mode will be also considered.
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