Novel FR4 substrate slotted terahertz microstrip patch antenna design for detection of plastic SX2 explosives

The paper represents Terahertz microstrip antenna employing FR4 material as a substrate with permittivity of 4.4 and thickness of 1.62 μm. The slotted substrate and stacked ground plane has been used in antenna design. The ground, patch and feedline are made up of copper. The proposed terahertz microstrip patch antenna has an impedance bandwidth of 0.077 THz with resonant frequency of 4.11THz, thus making it suitable for narrowband applications. The proposed antenna has return loss of −42.00dB with the operating frequency range of 4.07 THz-4.15 THz. It has gain of 5.73dB and directivity of 5.55dBi at resonant frequency of 4.11THz. It has input impedance of 50.62 ohms that is required for minimal antenna return losses. The antenna has been designed and simulated through CST Microwave Studio 2014. The performance of terahertz microstrip patch antenna has been analyzed in terms of impedance bandwidth (THz), return loss (dB), directivity (dBi), gain(dB), HPBW(degrees) and impedance (ohms). The presented antenna design can be used for detection of plastic explosive SX2 at resonant frequency of 4.11 THz.