Compact and Low-Cost 3-D Printed Antennas Metalized Using Spray-Coating Technology for 5G mm-Wave Communication Systems

Alkaraki, Shaker; Andy, Andre Sarker; Gao, Yue; Tong, Kin Fai; Ying, Zhinong; Donnan, Robert; Parini, Clive

Abstract

This letter presents a design of two compact, light, rigid, and low-cost three-dimensionally (3-D) printed millimeter-wave antennas for a fifth-generation (5G) communication system. The proposed antennas consist of a radiating slot that is surrounded by a rectangular cavity and corrugations, which boost the gain performance of the antennas. Furthermore, the proposed antennas are fabricated using 3-D printing technology, and they are metalized using novel, simple, and low-cost techniques, which utilize the commercial conducive spray-coating technology. The proposed antennas operate at a 28 GHz band, where the first design is fed by a waveguide to prove the performance, whereas the second design is fed by a microstrip line to demonstrate the ability to be integrated into a compact structure. Measurement results show a wide impedance bandwidth, which enables the proposed antenna design to be a strong candidate for 5G applications.

Citation

Alkaraki, S., Andy, A. S., Gao, Y., Tong, K. F., Ying, Z., Donnan, R., & Parini, C. (2018). Compact and Low-Cost 3-D Printed Antennas Metalized Using Spray-Coating Technology for 5G mm-Wave Communication Systems. IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, 17(11), 2051-2055. https://doi.org/10.1109/LAWP.2018.2848912

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 15, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jun 19, 2018
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Deposit Date: Sep 4, 2023
• Journal: IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters
• Print ISSN: 1536-1225
• Electronic ISSN: 1548-5757
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 2051-2055
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/LAWP.2018.2848912
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/24577088
• Publisher URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8388262