In this example, a compact Ku-band antenna array is demonstrated for use in mobile device applications. The antenna is tuned for 12.5 GHz operation and contains a 4x4 array of elements which each consist of a set of patch antennas oriented and phased to produce a circularly-polarized far field pattern. The antenna array has peak gain over 20.7 dBi with sidelobes less than 8 dBi and a 3 dB beamwidth of about 15 degrees.

A 140 GHz slot antenna array excited by a substrate integrated cavity is demonstrated for use in wireless communications. The antenna array has high gain, wide bandwidth, low fabrication costs, and small size, which make it an effective design. The final 8x8 antenna array has bandwidth from 130 to 145 GHz, peak gain of 20.5 dBi, and radiation efficiency around 60%.

This example demonstrates the performance of a remote camera with two-element antenna arrays for 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz capabilities for 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax. The maximum coverage possible at each frequency is discussed to demonstrate the capabilities of the device as part of a connected home system communicating with a MU-MIMO router.

A dual-band, dielectric-loaded horn antenna is analyzed with XFdtd to demonstrate performance at 94 and 340 GHz. The antenna consists of a dual port rectangular waveguide section at the feed end that transitions to a circular waveguide and then a conical horn at the output side. The horn structure radiates the 94 GHz signal while a tapered dielectric block in the center of the structure guides the 340 GHz fields. The antenna has a strong single beam with a peak gain around 18 dBi that is symmetrical in the E and H planes.

At higher frequencies, the use of dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) at fundamental modes can be complicated due to the small size of the resonator and its sensitivity to fabrication errors. In this example, a wideband millimeter wave cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna with a taller profile is considered, which produces higher order modes. The use of higher order modes can sometimes lead to reduced bandwidth, but here the HEM113 and HEM115 modes are merged to provide a wider bandwidth of operation.

Two variations of a cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna are analyzed to determine their performance characteristics. The first antenna is designed for dual-band performance at DCS frequencies (1.71-1.88 GHz) and WLAN (2.4-2.48 GHz) while the second has wideband performance covering the WLAN and lower WiMAX bands (up to 2.69 GHz). Both antennas feature dual-polarization performance for diversity from the same structure.

A millimeter wave antenna intended to operate at 60 GHz is designed by placing a cylindrical dielectric resonator on a silicon base for an on-chip design. The antenna produces a uniform, nearly spherical pattern with peak gain of about 2.5 dBi, 60% efficiency, and a bandwidth over 2.5 GHz. The antenna is intended for wireless personal area network (WPAN) use.

A circularly polarized dielectric resonator antenna design is analyzed with XFdtd to determine performance for return loss, gain, and axial ratio. The resulting antenna is intended for use in compass navigation satellite systems where wide impedance bandwidth, good radiation efficiency, and stable radiation patterns are desired. The antenna, which used a dielectric block with permittivity of 20.5, is shown to perform well, and results are given at communication frequencies of interest at 1.268 and 1.561 GHz.

In this example, we use XFdtd to demonstrate the performance of a MU-MIMO WiFi router with antenna arrays for 2.4, 5, and 6-7 GHz ranges. The maximum coverage possible with different antenna array combinations is discussed to demonstrate the performance capabilities of the device.

This simulation of a wearable dual-band MIMO antenna demonstrates a design for dual-band use constructed of textile materials. The performance of the antenna remains acceptable as it is deformed. When combined in a MIMO array, the antennas show good isolation and acceptable antenna performance.

We simulate the performance of a leaky wave antenna implemented on a slotted substrate integrated waveguide. The antenna produces narrow beams that scan from near broadside to endfire as the frequency increases. The antenna has a wide impedance bandwidth and efficiency that improves with an increase in the operating frequency.

A 60 GHz antenna array design is simulated in XFdtd to demonstrate suitability for use on wireless Virtual Reality headsets. The resulting array produces a fan beam which may be steered by varying the phasing between the elements resulting in broad coverage. The design is simulated mounted on a section of a virtual reality visor.

This example uses XFdtd to simulate the performance of a low cost, chipless RFID system. The RFID tag is comprised of two ultrawide band monopole disk antennas mounted in a cross-polarized configuration combined with a microstrip line adjacent to six varying size spiral resonators which each represent a single bit in the RFID tag code. The system is validated using two cross-polarized log periodic dipole arrays as the send and receive devices.

This example is a more complete device for 28 GHz beamforming for 5G networks and includes an 8x8 patch antenna array, 1 to 8 power dividers and a Rotman lens initial stage. The design of the Rotman lens is performed using Remcom’s Rotman Lens Designer® (RLD) software, which produces a CAD version of the device for use in XFdtd®. In XFdtd, a set of eight 1 to 8 Wilkinson stripline power divider networks is designed to act as the connection between the Rotman lens and the antenna array. The performance of each stage is simulated and evaluated.

This example demonstrates how a custom beamforming table can be used to model downlink data rates from three MIMO base stations for 5G New Radio in a section of Boston.

A proposed smartphone design that includes a 4G antenna operating at 860 MHz and a 5G array at 28 GHz is analyzed in XFdtd to determine operating characteristics and any mutual coupling. A brief study of configurations is performed to find the best positioning for each antenna.

An 8x8 planar antenna array creates narrow beams capable of scanning large sectors in front of the antenna. This example focuses on displaying typical simulation results for beams and possible plots of coverage from the full array and combinations of sub-arrays.

Series-fed patch elements forming an array are simulated to demonstrate antenna performance and beamforming including S-parameters, gain, and effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) at 28 GHz.   Beam steering is performed in one plane by adjusting the phasing at the input ports to each of eight elements.

Performance of a 12-port handset antenna array operating in LTE bands 42/43 (3400-3800 MHz) and band 46 (5150-5925 MHz) is analyzed in XFdtd for varying hand hold positions on the device.  The results computed include S-parameters, Gain, Efficiency and Envelope Correlation Coefficient.
 

The following example investigates WiFi throughput coverage in a house provided by 802.11ac routers operating at 5 GHz using an 80 MHz bandwidth. The geometry for the house was imported from a CAD file and a flat terrain was placed underneath the house.

This example details the setup and execution of RCS calculations using XGtd’s X3D PO MEC model and compares the predictions to those made using XFdtd.

Simulations are performed on a reconfigurable 12-element antenna which produces vertically and horizontally polarized gain patterns and is intended for base station use.
 

The millimeter wave frequencies being planned for 5G systems pose challenges for channel modeling. At these frequencies, surface roughness impacts wave propagation, causing scatter in non-specular directions that can have a large effect on received signal strength and polarization. To accurately predict channel characteristics for millimeter wave frequencies, propagation modeling must account for diffuse scattering effects. Wireless InSite’s diffuse scattering capability is based on Degli-Esposti’s work.

In this example the signal transmission between a massive MIMO base station and a mobile device located in downtown Rosslyn is analyzed using Wireless InSite’s MIMO capability.

This example analyzes the coupling between four circular patch antennas mounted on the sides of a Boeing 757. The antennas transmit and receive at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. Coupling between each antenna is characterized using XGtd’s S-Parameter output, which can be displayed in the user interface or exported to a v1.1 Touchstone file.

Ad hoc peer-to-peer networks can provide reliable communications in emergency situations where fixed infrastructures, like base stations, may not be available. This example demonstrates Wireless InSite's Transceivers capability.

A simple antenna for LTE band operation is added to the PC board of a smartphone in XFdtd and the matching circuit is tuned for operation in multiple frequency bands. The component values in the matching network are chosen to maximize system efficiency.

XFdtd's Circuit Element Optimizer is used to determine optimal matching component values for a dual purpose antenna.

Crosshole Ground Penetrating Radar is examined in XFdtd. The ability to find COP and MOG data is shown.