Transparent and miniature FM antenna in printed technology

• Published in: International journal of microwave and wireless technologies Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 19 - 24
• Main Authors: Martin, A., Gautier, C., Castel, X., Himdi, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.02.2018; Cambridge University Press/European Microwave Association
• Subjects: Antennas; Cellular telephones; Design; Electric wire; Electromagnetism; Engineering Sciences; Feasibility studies; Field effect transistors; Frequency modulation; Glass substrates; Materials; Measurement techniques; Micro and nanotechnologies; Microelectronics; Monopoles; Nanowires; Propagation; Radio frequency; Receivers & amplifiers; Research Papers; Semiconductor devices; Signal strength; Silver; Transistors; Wire; France; United States > US; Active circuits; Transparent FM antenna; Antenna design; Modeling and measurements
• ISSN: 1759-0787; 1759-0795
• DOI: 10.1017/S1759078718000120

An optically transparent and electrically small frequency modulation (FM) radio receiving antenna has been designed and fabricated from a mesh silver layer printed onto a glass substrate. The studied FM antenna consists of a transparent meandering monopole associated with a micrometric size MEtal Semiconductor Field Effect transistor. An optical transparency of 87% and a sheet resistance lower than 0.22 Ω/sq are obtained. The received signal strength indicator and the signal-to-noise ratio are both measured and compared with those of a commercial monopole antenna (a quarter-wave wire antenna). The transparent FM antenna exhibits similar radiofrequency performance with, in addition, a low visual impact.