Graphene-Based terahertz antennas for area-constrained applications

Graphene is enabling a plethora of applications in a wide range of fields due to its unique electrical, mechanical, and optical properties. In the realm of wireless communications, graphene shows great promise for the implementation of miniaturized and tunable antennas in the terahertz band. These unique advantages open the door to disruptive wireless applications in highly integrated scenarios where conventional communications means cannot be employed. In this paper, recent advances in plasmonic graphene antennas are presented. Wireless Network-on-Chip (WNoC) and Software-Defined Metamaterials (SDMs), two new area-constrained applications uniquely suited to the characteristics of graphene antennas, are then described. The challenges in terms of antenna design and channel characterization are outlined for both case scenarios.