Analysis of substrate materials for flexible and wearable MIMO antenna for wireless communication

Abstract

In recent years, flexible and portable antenna technologies have become critical to the development of next-generation wireless communication technologies such as 5G and beyond. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of three basic materials used in the design of flexible and portable antennas - FR4, PVC and LCP. The methodology involves studying the resonant frequency ranges, return losses, bandwidth, gain and antenna radiation efficiency of each material. The results show that LCP has the widest bandwidth and highest efficiency, making it suitable for high frequency applications. Substrate PVC, while limiting significant bandwidth, limits high frequency accuracy due to its higher dielectric constant. Although FR4 is cost-effective, its effectiveness is limited in high-frequency applications due to its narrower bandwidth and higher loss coefficient. These results indicate that LCP is an optimal choice for advanced RF applications, especially in next-generation wireless communication technologies. Future research should focus on improving the properties of these materials to further improve their suitability for flexible and portable antennas.