Compact Microstrip Patch Antenna Utilizing Low Cost Solution Cast Nanomagnetic Thin Film

Abstract

A compact integrated microstrip patch antenna with low cost magnetic nanoparticle thin film loaded in the air substrate has been designed, fabricated and characterized. First, a microstrip patch antenna patterned on a thin Liquid Crystal Polymer was mounted on a partially 3D printed air substrate through a lego-like process to have the measured resonance at 8.3 GHz and 6.5 dBi of realized gain. To achieve the compactness, MnFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles were deposited within the air substrate to have a magnetic film thickness of 30 µm, which shifted the measured resonant frequency down to 7.8 GHz while the realized gain was increased to 7.0 dBi. Detailed comparison of the simulation and measurement results are provided. This work demonstrates a low cost and compact microstrip patch antenna utilizing the magnetic nanoparticle film which could find many applications in the RF and microwave circuits and devices.