Design and Development of Super-Compact Millimeter Wave Antenna for Future 5G Vehicular Applications

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) fifth-generation (5G) vehicular networks are essential for vehicle communication and connectivity, leveraging 5G technology. These networks aim to provide fast data transfer rates, low latency, and reliable wireless communication to support various services and applications in the automotive industry. This research presents the design and analysis of a novel, compact, lightweight mmWave antenna tailored explicitly for 5G vehicular networks. The proposed antenna is designed on an ultrathin 0.787 mm RO5880 substrate with a relative permittivity of 2.3. It incorporates a bubbleshaped patch and a partial ground plane with a square slot. The antenna has overall dimensions of 12×12 mm² and operates within a wide frequency range of 24-32 GHz, providing an impedance bandwidth of 8 GHz. The antenna’s performance is truly impressive, with a peak efficiency greater than >90% and gains of 4.4 dBi at 26 GHz and 4.5 dBi at 28 GHz. The fabricated prototype aligns well with the initial simulations, validating its design. The single-element design is expanded into a four-element linear array system measuring 48×12×0.787 mm³. The isolation levels between the radiating elements exceed 20 dB, indicating high isolation performance. Furthermore, the proposed antenna undergoes testing using a vehicle model, yielding promising results. These features position the proposed antenna as an attractive candidate for mmWave 5G networks, particularly in applications related to 5G vehicular networks.