Challenges for Antenna Design at mm-Waves

mm-Wave frequency band is poised to be used in 5G as ample bandwidth is available in this band. Beam-steerable antennas are an essential requirement for 5G mm-Wave networks; they mitigate interference by channeling and focusing the antenna signal towards the desired direction. This ability is significant for mm-wave frequency applications such as cellular back-haul links where high path loss, diffraction, attenuation from obstacles, material penetrations and misalignment due to rain and wind storms are dominant. Currently, the design cost of smart beam-steering antennas is high and there is a need to drive the cost down. This paper encompasses challenges, comparative analysis, cost and limitations of various beam-steering techniques at mm-waves