A Dual-Band Conformal Antenna Based on Highly Conductive Graphene-Assembled Films for 5G WLAN Applications

Abstract

Flexible electronic devices are widely used in the Internet of Things, smart home and wearable devices, especially in carriers with irregular curved surfaces. Light weight, flexible and corrosion-resistant carbon-based materials have been extensively investigated in RF electronics. However, the insufficient electrical conductivity limits their further application. In this work, a flexible and low-profile dual-band Vivaldi antenna based on highly conductive graphene-assembled films (GAF) is proposed for 5G Wi-Fi applications. The proposed GAF antenna with the profile of 0.548 mm comprises a split ring resonator and open circuit half wavelength resonator to implement the dual band-notched characteristic. The operating frequency of the flexible GAF antenna covers the Wi-Fi 6e band, 2.4–2.45 GHz and 5.15–7.1 GHz. Different conformal applications are simulated by attaching the antenna to the surface of cylinders with different radii. The measured results show that the working frequency bands and the radiation patterns of the GAF antenna are relatively stable, with a bending angle of 180°. For demonstration of practical application, the GAF antennas are conformed to a commercial router. The spectral power of the GAF antenna router is greater than the copper antenna router, which means a higher signal-to-noise ratio and a longer transmission range can be achieved. All results indicate that the proposed GAF antenna has broad application prospects in next generation Wi-Fi.

Dual-Band CPW Graphene Antenna for Smart Cities and IoT Applications

“…The proposed antenna is configured by a coplanar waveguide line to feed the antenna with a characteristic impedance Z 0 . In addition, the antenna has two radiator patches with an isosceles trapezoidal form [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]; Figure 1 shows the geometry of the proposed antenna. In this geometry, w 4 controls the lowest frequency band ( f min ), and w 2 works over the higher frequency band ( f min ).…”

“…Furthermore, taking advantage of the flexibility of graphene, Zelong et al [ 31 ] reported a dual-band flexible antenna using a graphene film over a polydimethylsiloxane substrate. Finally, it is essential to mention that designs of graphene antennas over glass as a substrate barely exist.…”

Flexible Transparent Antennas: Advancements, Challenges, and Prospects

“…A dual-band wearable conformal antenna realized with highly conductive graphene film was reported in [64]. The operating frequency of the flexible GAF antenna covered the Wi-Fi band, 2.4-2.45 GHz and 5.15-7.1 GHz.…”

Conformal metal crack detection sensor based on flexible graphene film antenna

“…[26][27][28][29] In addition, as a carbon material, graphene has better chemical stability and adaptability to harsh environments than its metal counterparts. 30 Due to the excellent flexibility of graphene, it has been used in various wearable antennas such as pressure sensor, 31 ultra-wideband antenna, 32 nearfield communication (NFC) tag antenna, 33 dual-band conformal antenna, 34 and millimeter wave antenna array, 35 which proves that graphene can be used in flexible devices.…”