Title :
Stretchable and flexible E-fiber antennas with high geometrical accuracy
Author :
Kiourti, Asimina ; Volakis, John L.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH, USA
Abstract :
We present new processes for fabricating: (a) stretchable and flexible antennas on electrically-conductive fibers (E-fibers), and (b) E-fiber antennas with high geometrical accuracy. Optionally, these two processes can be concurrently employed to enable stretchability and flexibility for antennas that operate in extreme environments. Additionally, the proposed approach provides high geometrical accuracy for miniature antennas and/or antennas with fine details. The developed prototypes are demonstrated to achieve excellent performance, comparable to that of their copper counterparts. Embroidery accuracy down to ~0.3mm can be achieved (viz. 3 times better than before).
Keywords :
electrical conductivity; geometry; textile fibres; wearable antennas; electrically-conductive fibers; flexible E-fiber antennas; geometrical accuracy; stretchable E-fiber antennas; Accuracy; Antenna measurements; Copper; Dipole antennas; Polymers; Prototypes; conductive textiles; embroidery geometrical accuracy; flexible antenna; stretchable antenna;
Conference_Titel :
Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 2015 9th European Conference on
Conference_Location :
Lisbon