Design and Modeling of a 28/38/60/70/80 GHz Antenna for Fifth Generation (5G) Mobile and Millimeter Wave (mmW) Applications

This paper presents design of a 5th generation (5G) array antenna for future 28 GHz, 38 GHz and 60 GHz mobile applications. The individual elements of the array antenna consists of unique shape patches printed on top and bottom sides of a Rogers RT5880 substrate, having relative permittivity and thickness of 2.2 and 0.8 mm, respectively. The size of the single element of the 5G array antenna is 0.8λxλ, where λ is free-space wavelength at 60 GHz. With an interelement spacing of 0.64λ the overall size of the proposed 1x8 element array is 0.8λx5λ. The antenna radiates in a wider frequency band (21.33-90 GHz), which covers the three 5G frequency bands of 28 GHz, 38 GHz and 60 GHz as well as the millimeter wave (mmW) bands of 70 GHz and 80 GHz. The 28 GHz, 38 GHz and 60 GHz (57–64 GHz), bands are recommended for future high-speed 5G applications. The antenna has decent gains (>13 dB) in the 5G bands and can be used in 5G mobile handsets and ultra-high speed wireless communications. The antenna also gives a decent gain (10.45~13.54 dB) in the mmWave bands of 70 GHz and 80 GHz. The modeling and simulation of the proposed antenna are performed in CST Microwave Studio.