Millimeter-Wave Conformal Antenna Array for 5G Wireless Applications

This paper presents a compact, flexible and wideband antenna array designed at millimeter-wave (MMW) frequencies for upcoming 5th generation (5G) applications. The concept of Franklin array is geometrically modified to transform a conventional narrowband antenna into wideband antenna array. Fabrication of antenna is accomplished by inkjet printing on a thin PET film to achieve conformity and flexibility. Measurements show that the designed array covers 24.6-30 GHz. Moreover, radiation pattern is directive and offers beam scanning at the desired angles with frequency sweep, like a leaky-wave antenna (LWA). The proposed antenna array is an attractive candidate for flexible and conformal wireless devices at MMW frequencies.