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Graphene-Flakes Printed Wideband Elliptical Dipole Antenna for Low Cost Wireless Communications Applications

Antti Lamminen, Kirill Arapov, Gijsbertus de With, Samiul Haque, Henrik G. O. Sandberg, Heiner Friedrich, Vladimir Ermolov
(Submitted on 2 May 2017)

This letter presents the design, manufacturing and operational performance of a graphene-flakes based screenprinted wideband elliptical dipole antenna operating from 2 GHz up to 5 GHz for low cost wireless communications applications. To investigate radio frequency (RF) conductivity of the printed graphene, a coplanar waveguide (CPW) test structure was designed, fabricated and tested in the frequency range from 1 GHz to 20 GHz. Antenna and CPW were screen-printed on Kapton substrates using a graphene paste formulated with a graphene to binder ratio of 1:2. A combination of thermal treatment and subsequent compression rolling is utilized to further decrease the sheet resistance for printed graphene structures, ultimately reaching 4 Ohm/sq. at 10 {\mu}m thicknesses. For the graphene-flakes printed antenna an antenna efficiency of 60% is obtained. The measured maximum antenna gain is 2.3 dBi at 4.8 GHz. Thus the graphene-flakes printed antenna adds a total loss of only 3.1 dB to an RF link when compared to the same structure screen-printed for reference with a commercial silver ink. This shows that the electrical performance of screen-printed graphene flakes, which also does not degrade after repeated bending, is suitable for realizing low-cost wearable RF wireless communication devices.

https://arxiv.org/abs/1705.01097

Heaven forbid anyone suggests anything different then the common thought. Really, has anyone ever been to an actual board meeting?
Last shareholders meeting there were a large number of board members in attendance. This year Steve's son did not even bother to come out and shake hands with shareholders. WTF does that say or not say.....J45 sent me some love and told me to shove off. I wonder if he would show me the same kindness face to face....lol. The proof is in the puddy boys.