Date of Award

7-16-2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Applied Science

First Advisor

Hussain Al-Rizzo

Abstract

During the past four decades, microstrip antennas have attracted much attention due to their thin profile, ease of fabrication, low cost, and conformability. Inkjet-printing flexible antennas using highly conducting patterns can complement and extend the above-mentioned advantages to achieve modern, clean, fast, and reliable antenna fabrication technologies. Moreover, the use of nanoscale materials allows for the development of a new generation of modern printed circuit antennas. In this thesis, several microstrip antennas are presented with different geometries on both rigid and flexible substrates. The antennas were designed and simulated using two different 3D full-wave electromagnetic simulation tools: Ansoft's High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) and CST Microwave Studio (CST MWS). The antennas were fabricated using Ink Jet Printing Technology (IJPT) utilizing Sliver Nano Particles (SNP) conductive ink printed by a DMP-2800 Dimatix FujiFilm materials printer. An initial antenna design based on the traditional square patch geometry was used as a benchmark to characterize the entire approach adopted in this thesis. Next, printed monopole antennas based on a flexible Kapton Polyimide substrate were developed to be integrated within flexible technologies for WLAN applications. Finally, a broadband miniaturized antenna based on an FR4 substrate was developed for wearable applications. The antenna is based on the Hilbert metamaterial curve while the ground plane was defected using square structures to provide a frequency selective surface. Next, the antenna was integrated with a solar cell to be suitable for self-powered wireless devices.

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