Hardware & Implementation

Chip Antenna

<\/script>\n
'; }, get iframeSnippet() { const domain = '{ SITE_DOMAIN }'; const type = '{ embed_type }'; const slug = '{ embed_slug }'; return ''; }, get activeSnippet() { return this.method === 'script' ? this.scriptSnippet : this.iframeSnippet; }, copySnippet() { navigator.clipboard.writeText(this.activeSnippet).then(() => { this.copied = true; setTimeout(() => { this.copied = false; }, 2000); }); } }" @keydown.escape.window="open = false" @click.outside="open = false">

Embed This Widget

Theme


      
    


    
    

      Widget powered by
      .
      Free, no account required.
    

  





    
    

    
    

      
A miniature ceramic or SMD antenna component for BLE, offering consistent performance at the cost of slightly higher BOM.

    


    
    
    

      다른 명칭:
      
      Ceramic Antenna
      
    

    
  


  




  
  

    
Chip Antenna


A chip antenna is a miniature ceramic or SMD (surface-mount device) antenna component used for 2.4 GHz BLE radio communication. Measuring typically 2-5 mm in length, chip antennas offer consistent RF performance in a compact form factor, making them popular in space-constrained wearable and medical BLE designs.


How Chip Antennas Work


Chip antennas are electrically small antennas that use high-permittivity ceramic substrates to reduce the physical size while maintaining resonance at 2.4 GHz. The ceramic body contains a meandered conductor pattern that radiates when excited by the RF signal from the BLE SoC.


Despite their small size, chip antennas still require a ground plane clearance area on the host PCB. The PCB ground plane acts as the antenna's counterpoise and directly affects radiation efficiency. Manufacturers specify a recommended keep-out zone (typically 5x5 mm to 10x10 mm) in their datasheets.







Manufacturer
Model Series
Size (mm)
Peak Gain (dBi)






Johanson Technology
2450AT series
3.2 x 1.6
0.5-2.0




Antenova
Calvus, Integra
2.0 x 1.0 - 7.0 x 3.0
1.0-3.0




Abracon
ACAG series
3.2 x 1.6
1.0-2.0




TDK
DPO series
2.5 x 1.0
0.5-1.5




Fractus
NN01 series
7.0 x 3.0
2.0-3.0






Chip Antenna vs PCB Antenna


Compared to PCB Antennas, chip antennas offer several advantages:


    

  • Consistency: Factory-tuned resonance is less sensitive to PCB manufacturing variations
    • 

  • Smaller footprint: The antenna element itself is smaller, though ground clearance is still needed
    • 

  • Easier design: Place-and-route approach vs RF trace design expertise
    • 

  • Multi-band option: Some chip antennas cover both 2.4 GHz and sub-GHz bands
    • 



The primary disadvantage is BOM cost ($0.10-0.50 per unit) and slightly lower peak efficiency compared to a well-designed PCB Antenna.


Layout Guidelines


For optimal chip antenna performance:


    

  1. Place the antenna at the PCB corner or edge, away from the battery and metallic components
    2. 

  2. Maintain the manufacturer-specified ground clearance zone -- no copper pour, traces, or vias
    3. 

  3. Use the recommended matching network (typically a pi-network or series inductor)
    4. 

  4. Verify performance with the final enclosure -- plastic, glass, and proximity to the human body all affect tuning
    5. 

  5. Production tuning: measure RSSI or return loss (S11) on first articles and adjust matching if needed
    6. 


  

  

  
  
  




  
  
Related Terms

  

  

    
    PCB Antenna
    
  





  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  

    
Related Content

    

      
      
        

          
          
BLE Antenna Design: PCB Trace vs Chip Antenna

          
          Hardware & Design
          
        

        
        
        
…with the BLE Range Calculator . PCB Trace Antenna vs Chip Antenna The first decision is antenna topology. Both PCB antennas…

        
      
      
      
        

          
          
BLE Range Optimization: Maximizing Communication Distance

          
          Troubleshooting
          
        

        
        
        
…0 dBi Integrated Cost-sensitive, small form factor Chip antenna (Johanson 0433AT62A0020E) −1 to +1 dBi 4×2 mm Compact…

        
      
      
    

  

  

  
  




  
자주 묻는 질문


  

    
    

      
      

        
Our glossary covers 90+ BLE technical terms organized by category. Each term includes a definition, related terms, and links to relevant chips and guides.