Millimeter-wave reconfigurable antenna based on VO2 ink achieved by a simple process

Suwu Ma; Wanchen Yang; Jinghao Li; Quan Xue; Wenquan Che

Materials & Design (Feb 2025)

Millimeter-wave reconfigurable antenna based on VO2 ink achieved by a simple process

Suwu Ma,
Wanchen Yang,
Jinghao Li,
Quan Xue,
Wenquan Che

Affiliations

Suwu Ma: College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China
Wanchen Yang: College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China; Corresponding author at: College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China.
Jinghao Li: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Millimeter-Waves and Terahertz, the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
Quan Xue: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Millimeter-Waves and Terahertz, the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
Wenquan Che: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Millimeter-Waves and Terahertz, the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 250
p. 113583

Abstract

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The growth of communication demands have boosted the development of millimeter-wave technology, as the spectrum migrates to higher frequencies. And reconfigurable antennas emerge as a promising solution for complex communication systems. Nevertheless, the deployment of millimeter-wave reconfigurable antennas is impeded by the limitations of conventional switching devices like PIN diodes and varactors, which are unsuitable for millimeter-wave applications. Vanadium dioxide (VO2), as a phase-change material, possesses high isolation and low loss at millimeter-wave band, enabling it to function effectively as a switching device. Despite its advantages, traditional VO2 film fabrication methods are costly and time-consuming, greatly limiting its application. This paper presents a simple VO2 ink fabrication technique, which is cost-effective, stable, and easy to integrate. Based on the VO2 ink, a frequency-reconfigurable millimeter-wave antenna is designed and fabricated. The results confirm the feasibility of using VO2 ink for millimeter-wave applications and demonstrate its tolerance to fabrication inaccuracies, marking a significant advancement in the design of reconfigurable antennas and broadening the potential for future research and applications.

Published in Materials & Design

ISSN: 0264-1275 (Print); 1873-4197 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/materials-and-design

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