QUESTION

Question

I bought 2 types of Chip Antenna from your company

The two types of Chip Antenna are as follows ( SR4G053 / SR4C033)

I am trying to make a board using the antenna of your company that I purchased. Can I get a Gerber file for the antenna and the board?

I'm planning to use the CST tool, so if possible I would like to get a gerber file that I can import directly from CST.

Answer 1

Hi Park,

We don't release gerbers for our antennas, it is company confidential. We may be able to help with the EVB gerber, but this is not a recommended stack up for a mixed mode PCB. Our EVK is 2 layer as it is for evaluation only. We strongly recommend a 4 layer minimum stack up. Footprint and data sheet are available from the download area, which should be enough to get you started on your layout.

We are always keen to engage with our customers as early as possible in their design process and would be happy to review your gerber, stack up and 3D files and advise you further.
Many Thanks

Steve

Comments

Thanks for your reply

 

But I have some questions about your answer

 

According to what you said, the layers of the PCB should be at least 4 layers. According to the information presented in the data sheet, it should be 3 layers in the order of Copper-Substrate-Copper. I would like to know what additional layers are needed

In addition, you said that Antenna's Gerber File is confidential. I was wondering if you could give me a Gerber Filer for the Board if it existed.

Lastly, if there is no separate Gerber File for the Board, I would like you to give me the EVB Gerber File.

 

Thanks

 

Park Tae Hee.

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Hi Park,

Apologies, when I say 4 layer I mean four copper layers, see image below:

I have passed your details on to your regional representative who will be in touch soon and help to send you the files.

Many Thanks

Steve

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Thank you for the reply

i got what you meant

And as you said, I will wait for a reply while additional files arrive.

But I have an additional question in your answer

I wonder if there is much difference in the result if copper is made with 1 layer instead of 4 layers

It seems that the DataSheet you provided does not say that copper must be made in 4 layers. Does this mean there is no big difference between 4 layers or 1 layer?

It is my first time drawing a PCB board, so I am asking this question because I think it will be difficult to draw a complex structure.

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Hi Park,

Your question regarding 1 layer vs. 4 layers is an important question the requires a very detailed answer.  When you refer to one layer of copper we understand that you are referring to a single 1/2 oz. layer of copper plating on a piece of FR4 of some industry thickness (typ. 0.8mm or 1.6mm). Mounting an antenna to a single layer board is feasible but the antenna performance would not be optimized since our antennas are not designed to operate optimally on a single layer PCB.
We recommend your product to be design with 4 layers of copper plating placed on the inner and outer layers of the PCB in order to facilitate the proper antenna feed trace impedance from the radio on the PCB to the antenna on the PCB.  We design our antennas to receive an input impedance of 50 ohms from the radio so that no energy is reflected back to the radio through the antenna feed trace.  This is done by using a coplanar waveguide feed trace that references the ground plane below the trace to keep the impedance of the trace at 50 ohm for proper energy transfer to the antenna.
It is very difficult to do this on a single layer PCB. Another problem with a single layer PCB is that the traces that run to all of the other ancillary support chipsets such as the battery, memory and IO traces tend to cut up the ground plane into many small pieces therefore reducing the length of the ground plane that the antenna uses to balance the antenna thus reducing the overall radiated performance of the antenna.

Best regards,

Geoff S.

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Hi

I got the files you gave me I'm running a simulation with the file you gave me

but i have one question Can you tell me the impedance of the antennas you gave me??

The at Part Number of Antenna I'm talking about is  SR4G053 & SR4C033

Thanks

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Hi Park,

The antenna requires matching to ensure it is 50 ohms.

Many Thanks

Steve

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That's a fact i know

But looking at the Gerber file you gave me, it seems that the impedance of the antenna is matched to 50 ohms by using LC. What I am curious about is, I want to know the impedance of the antenna before matching the LC.

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Hi Park,

The antennas are both DC Open Circuit. We don't measure or state impedance of antennas without matching, as all customers will require them to be connected to a 50ohm network.

Many Thanks

Steve