Antenna Design

Coplanar Waveguide Elliptical Slot Antenna

This application note presents the modeling and full-wave simulation of a Coplanar Waveguide (CPW) Elliptical Slot Antenna in WIPL-D Pro CAD. The antenna is analyzed over the 2–15 GHz frequency range, with reflection coefficient (S11) and radiation pattern as the results of interest. The model consists of two radiating patches, a coplanar waveguide, and an SMA connector excited by a coaxial port. Particular emphasis is placed on the Symmetry feature in WIPL-D Pro CAD, demonstrating how a half-model approach reduces the number of unknowns by approximately 50% while producing results that closely match those of the full model, significantly improving simulation efficiency without compromising accuracy.

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Printed Volcano Smoke Antenna

This note presents the modeling and simulation of a Printed Volcano Smoke Antenna using WIPL-D Pro CAD. The antenna is analyzed from 1 to 15 GHz, with return loss, VSWR, and radiation pattern as the results of interest. Suitable for WLAN and UWB applications, the antenna is printed on a dielectric substrate with relative permittivity Er = 2.78 and a thickness of 0.8 mm. The model consists of a printed radiating patch fed through a coplanar waveguide and coaxial cable. Emphasis is placed on the Symmetry feature, which enables efficient modeling by reducing the number of unknowns while maintaining identical results. Using a half-model approach, the simulation demonstrates a 54% reduction in total simulation time compared to the full model.

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Substrate Integrated Waveguide Cavity-Backed Slot Antenna

This application note describes the design and full-wave simulation of a Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) Cavity-Backed Slot Antenna using WIPL-D Pro CAD. The antenna operates in the 8-12 GHz (X-band), with return loss, radiation pattern, gain, and near-field distribution as key results. The model is implemented on a Rogers RT/duroid 5880 substrate, with the SIW structure realized by metallic vias designed to suppress leakage. WIPL-D’s Method-of-Moments solver, combined with quadrilateral meshing and higher-order basis functions, enables accurate analysis with a low number of unknowns. Symmetry, optimized geometry definition, and built-in CPU/GPU acceleration provide fast and reliable antenna simulations on a standard desktop PC.

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Vivaldi Antenna

Vivaldi antenna is a commonly used antenna in broadband applications, usually printed on a dielectric substrate. The simulation results show an extremely wide band (return loss under -10 dB). The simulation is performed with a low number of frequency points due to the powerful built-in interpolation method, which overcomes the typical MoM drawback of simulating each frequency point separately. In MoM, simulation is fast at the lowest operating frequency but more demanding at the higher end. WIPL-D simulates each frequency point according to the current frequency, decreasing overall simulation time several times. Here, the simulation is performed using a regular desktop quad-core CPU and lasts only a couple of seconds per frequency point.

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Rectangular Horn Antenna

This note presents detailed WIPL-D Pro models and comprehensive simulation results of one of the simplest and most widely used antennas, a rectangular horn operating at 10 GHz. Half and quarter models were simulated to demonstrate both the efficiency and numerical accuracy of the symmetry feature available in the WIPL-D suite. Applying symmetry planes additionally reduced the already low simulation time and required number of unknowns, while the obtained output results differed only negligibly, confirming solution reliability. Electrically large antennas, such as extended or long horn structures, can be simulated in WIPL-D within seconds thanks to the highly efficient Method-of-Moments implementation with higher-order basis functions.

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Log-Periodic Dipole Antenna in WIPL-D Pro CAD

This application note presents a model of a Log-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) designed in WIPL-D Pro CAD software. The LPDA has 52 printed dipoles created from scratch. The antenna boom is 261.5 mm long, with the longest arm about 84 mm and the shortest about 2 mm. Wide-band simulation is significantly faster when the model is re-meshed at each frequency and the number of unknowns is automatically adjusted using a special WIPL-D feature. Built-in interpolation allows simulating return loss with a minimal number of frequency points, maintaining high accuracy. The simulation was performed on a desktop PC equipped with a low-end Nvidia GPU, with matrix inversion efficiently accelerated by the WIPL-D GPU solver, giving fast reliable results.

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Validating IFA Design via Measurement

This application note presents the design of a printed inverted-F antenna (IFA) used in an RFID reader in mass production. The IFA was carefully built and simulated using WIPL-D Pro CAD, a method-of-moments (MoM) based EM simulation tool. Real-life effects, such as influence of neighboring metallic objects, were fully included and considered during simulation. Simulation was carried out on a regular desktop PC in about one minute per frequency point, efficient given the thin flexible substrate (100 µm) and complex real-life environment. Test samples were fabricated and measured, showing excellent agreement. Beyond developing EM tools, WIPL-D also provides consulting, leveraging years of support, education, university collaboration, surveys, and projects.

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Luneburg Lens Illuminated by Corrugated Horn

The lenses are antennas designed to collimate incident energy and to prevent it from spreading in undesired directions (the beam focusing). In this application note, we also show Luneburg lens illuminated by corrugated horn antenna. The lens is represented as spherically symmetric structure with variable index of refraction. Basically, Luneburg lens is modelled in WIPL-D Pro as 5 spheres with coinciding centers. The simulation results include 2D and 3D radiation pattern, as well as focused near field. Comparing free space radiation with the radiation of the overall lens shows energy collimation and gain increase. Simulations are carried out at inexpensive desktop PC, while the simulation can be further speeded up by using the GPU solver.

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Compact Multi-band Antenna for Wireless Applications

The aim of this application note is to demonstrate the capabilities of
WIPL-D Pro 3D EM Solver for design and simulation of complex printed antennas in a wide band. WIPL-D Pro CAD is used, allowing Boolean operations, solid modeling, automated quadrilateral meshing, and other features such as total imaging and edging, all completed in seconds. The model follows specifications from Microwave Journal, May 2008. The full process of parametric model creation and simulation in WIPL-D Pro takes about one hour. Simulations run in seconds per frequency point on a desktop PC with very few unknowns. The 0.5–3 GHz frequency band with 10 resonances requires only 65 points thanks to the powerful built-in interpolation, providing highly accurate results.

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Crossed Exponentially Tapered Slots Antenna (XETS)

Application note shows the complete simulation process for an antenna designed externally from the WIPL-D suite and provided as CAD geometry (STEP) file. It includes import, healing, material assignment, meshing, and simulation. Importing the file in a single click creates a project with several metallic parts. WIPL-D Pro CAD offers advanced automated healing tools. After a single Boolean unite, the CAD model becomes a single body ready for meshing. The default algorithm with specified local mesh size precisely follows geometry at three very close coaxial surfaces. Simulations last only a couple of seconds per frequency point on any PC or laptop. VSWR (3.1-10.6 GHz) and pattern (4 GHz) results show excellent agreement with measured data.

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Sierpinski Multiband Monopole Antenna

Design of Sierpinski antennas is based on the Sierpinski triangle – a well-known planar fractal. These antennas are commonly used where operation at multiple frequencies is required and can be easily fabricated with conventional printed circuit technology, found in cell phones and various Wi-Fi devices. In WIPL-D simulations, symmetry is applied. The antenna is placed above an infinite PEC plane and fed using a 50 Ohms coaxial feeder below the PEC (apertures in PEC/PMC plane). The simulation was performed on a regular desktop PC in just a couple of seconds per frequency point. The frequency range is 0.1–16 GHz over 60 frequency points using built-in interpolation. Comparison of measured and simulated return loss confirms excellent accuracy.

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Hyperboloid Lens Illuminated by Choke Horn Antenna

This paper presents the procedure for the design of a hyperboloid lens antenna, including theoretical considerations, foundational principles, and steps for implementation in the WIPL-D software suite. The hyperboloid lens antenna consists of two main parts: a feeding cylindrical waveguide and the dielectric lens, so the design procedure is divided into two stages corresponding to each part. Finally, the application note demonstrates the WIPL-D Pro model at 25.5 GHz, showing its radiation pattern, important simulation details, and results. The simulation is carried out in seconds on a standard inexpensive PC, illustrating the efficiency of the software and its suitability for rapid parametric studies and practical antenna development.

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