An inkjet-printed MMW frequency-reconfigurable antenna on a flexible PET substrate for 5G wireless systems

This paper presents a compact and efficient millimetre-wave (MMW) frequency-reconfigurable antenna for two significant fifth generation (5G) bands. The flexible antenna is designed on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate and fabricated by inkjet printing using silver nanoparticle ink. The proposed geometry consists of a slotted T-shaped patch provided by a coplanar waveguide (CPW) feeding. Two switches are used in the slots to reconfigure the operating frequency between the 28- and 38-GHz bands. The rectangular aperture in the ground distributes the radiation on front and back surface of the antenna. High efficiency and reasonable gain suggests the proposed antenna well-suited for 5G flexible, conformal, and wearable applications.