24-GHz Patch antenna array on cellulose-based materials for green wireless internet applications

• Published in: IET science, measurement & technology Vol. 8; no. 6; pp. 342 - 349
• Main Authors: Poggiani, Martina, Alimenti, Federico, Mezzanotte, Paolo, Virili, Marco, Mariotti, Chiara, Orecchini, Giulia, Roselli, Luca
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 01.11.2014
• Subjects: adhesives; Antenna arrays; antenna feeds; antenna radiation patterns; Antennas; bandwidth 540 MHz; Copper; copper adhesive lamination; efficiency 35 percent; electromagnetic wave reflection; environmental factors; frequency 24 GHz; gluing; green wireless Internet technology; input reflection coefflcient; integrated feeding network; Internet; interposed copper ground plane; Laminates; microstrip antenna arrays; microstrip circuitry; microstrip circuits; microwave antenna arrays; multilayer cellulose‐based material substrate; Multilayers; Noise levels; patch antenna array; Patch antennas; photolithographic process; photopaper; radio networks; sacriflcial layer; Special Issue on Green Wireless Internet Technology; stacking; UHF antennas; microstrip circuits; radio networks; photolithographic process; bandwidth 540 MHz; copper adhesive lamination; sacriflcial layer; frequency 24 GHz; Cu; antenna radiation patterns; patch antenna array; electromagnetic wave reflection; multilayer cellulose-based material substrate; UHF antennas; microwave antenna arrays; copper; gluing; antenna feeds; microstrip circuitry; input reflection coefflcient; environmental factors; adhesives; interposed copper ground plane; integrated feeding network; microstrip antenna arrays; green wireless Internet technology; Internet; efficiency 35 percent; laminates; stacking; photopaper
• ISSN: 1751-8822; 1751-8830; 1751-8830
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-smt.2013.0279

A 24-GHz patch array antenna with integrated feeding network has been fabricated exploiting a multi-layer cellulose-based (i.e. paper) substrate. The adopted microstrip circuitry exploits a copper adhesive laminate that is shaped by a photo-lithographic process and transferred to the hosting substrate using a sacrificial layer. The multi-layer structure is obtained by stacking and gluing two layers of photo-paper with an interposed copper ground plane. The measurements show an input reflection coefficient of about −29 dB at the centre frequency, an operating bandwidth with S11 ⩽ −20 dB of 540 MHz and a gain of 7.4 dBi. The estimated radiation efficiency is 35%. The proposed design shows the feasibility of low-cost antenna systems for green wireless internet technology and applications up to the boundary between microwaves and millimetre-waves.