Nanoarchitectonics of MXene-based sixteenth-mode flexible SIW antenna for conformal wireless applications

A miniaturized sixteenth-mode nanomaterial-based flexible substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) antenna is demonstrated at an operating frequency of 3.5 GHz. The antenna is designed based on the one-sixteenth mode of a circular SIW cavity. The SIW in this instance is manufactured exclusively with flexible non-textile materials, which makes it unique and novel from the other reported works. The substrate of the proposed antenna is manufactured using PDMS by masking and laser cutting process. The patch on the substrate is made of a 2D nanomaterial MXene, whereas the ground at the bottom is created using copper tape. Vias connecting the patch and ground were filled with silver paste and dried at 80 degrees C in an oven. With a compact design and flexibility, the proposed flexible SIW antenna offers a unidirectional radiation pattern with a reasonable gain of -3.39 dBi at a 3.5 GHz resonant frequency. Additionally, the antenna is demonstrated for its flexible performance by straining it to the maximum extent without any structural damage. Consequently, the presented flexible SIW antenna can be well suited for conformal wireless applications.