Spherical Dielectric Resonator Antenna Operating at 180 GHz

The characteristics of different resonance modes of a dielectric sphere (Alumina ceramic, permittivity around 10) are investigated by Mie's theory and confirmed by field simulations and by measurements. Based on the dominant transverse magnetic resonance mode of the sphere, an on-chip antenna design is proposed. The antenna for operation at 180 GHz is using a spherical dielectric resonator of Alumina ceramic with diameter of 0.6 mm. The antenna design is characterized by small chip-area consumption, high gain, and excellent radiation efficiency. Measurements confirm the simulated results.