Session
Technical Session XII: Next Generation
Abstract
This paper presents the experimental study on an optimal circular meshed patch antenna inkjet-printed on transparent substrate. Meshed patch antennas provide a cost-effective solution for applications where the antennas need to be optically transparent. An earlier study has shown that it is feasible to integrate a rectangular meshed patch antenna with 93% transparency directly on solar cells. Although circular meshed patch antennas are as important as the rectangular ones, the study on the subject is rather limited due to the limit in fabrication method and lack of an effective feeding method. This paper focuses on the feed design and fast-prototyping with inkjet printing technique, where the antenna geometry is printed on a thin transparent substrate with conductive ink using a commercial printer. The transparent substrate can then be integrated on solar cells. It is found that a non-contact feed using coupling between the feed line and the antenna is more effective and realistic than other feeding methods for solar cell integration. Although the design approach is tested with inkjet printed prototype, it is highly feasible that one can print meshed circular antennas directly on substrates such as cover glass of solar cells.
Presentation Slides
Inkjet-Printed Transparent Antennas Integrated on Solar Cells
This paper presents the experimental study on an optimal circular meshed patch antenna inkjet-printed on transparent substrate. Meshed patch antennas provide a cost-effective solution for applications where the antennas need to be optically transparent. An earlier study has shown that it is feasible to integrate a rectangular meshed patch antenna with 93% transparency directly on solar cells. Although circular meshed patch antennas are as important as the rectangular ones, the study on the subject is rather limited due to the limit in fabrication method and lack of an effective feeding method. This paper focuses on the feed design and fast-prototyping with inkjet printing technique, where the antenna geometry is printed on a thin transparent substrate with conductive ink using a commercial printer. The transparent substrate can then be integrated on solar cells. It is found that a non-contact feed using coupling between the feed line and the antenna is more effective and realistic than other feeding methods for solar cell integration. Although the design approach is tested with inkjet printed prototype, it is highly feasible that one can print meshed circular antennas directly on substrates such as cover glass of solar cells.
