Data Sheet

5.3 Module Chip Antenna
As
is common for very small antennas, the antenna on WGM160P uses the ground plane edge to radiate, rather than just the antenna
chip itself. The antenna on WGM160P is robust to the detuning effect of the proximity of various objects and makes the module easy to
use with a consistent and reliable performance. All the antenna needs is a small patch free from copper under the antenna end of the
module and a solid ground plane covering the whole PCB on at least one layer, especially the edge of the application board where the
antenna is placed. To prevent the RF signal coupling to other, sensitive parts of the design, it is recommended to have a solid, board-
wide ground plane.
For optimal performance of the WGM160P Module, please follow these guidelines:
1. Place the Module at the edge of the PCB with the antenna end flush against the application board edge. If it is necessary to place
the module some distance from the edge, limit the copper plane edges to the level of the module antenna end.
2. Place the module close to the center of the edge of the board.
3. Do not place any metal (traces, components, battery, etc.) within the clearance area of the antenna.
4. Connect all ground pads directly to a solid ground plane covering the whole PCB. The grounds closest to the antenna end conduct
strong RF currents and are critical for good performance, while the rest of the ground pads are important for thermal conductivity.
5. Place multiple ground vias as close to the ground pads as possible. If possible, fill every unused area in all layers with ground-
connected copper to improve thermal conductivity.
6. Terminate unused RF ports to ground with a resistor between 47 and 51 ohms
Figure 5.2. Top Layer Layout of WGM160P Reference Design
UG384: WGM160P Hardware Design User’s Guide
Layout Recommendations
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