5.5 GHz optically transparent mesh wire microstrip patch antenna

As wireless networking becomes more ubiquitous there is an increasing demand for less obtrusive antennas. Optically transparent antennas increase the locations at which antennas can be installed. Prior work on optically transparent antennas has shown their feasibility using materials such as transparent conductive oxides and conductive polymers. An optically transparent antenna using highly conductive thin mesh wires designed to operate in the 5-6 GHz band is presented. This antenna was compared with a solid copper antenna of the same dimensions. The peak gain of the optically transparent antenna was measured to be 5.7 dBi as opposed to 7.6 dBi for the solid copper patch. Further more, the challenges that occur when realising a mesh wire antenna design are addressed.