Reconfigurable 2x1 CPW-Fed Rectangular Slot Antenna Array (RSAA) Based on Graphene for Wireless Communications

This article presents a 2x1 CPW ultra wideband rectangular slot antenna array (UWB-RSAA) with a modified circular slot shape to support a high data rate for wireless communications applications. The proposed antenna array dimensions are 0.7 lambda(o)x0.8 lambda(o)x0.064 lambda(o) at the resonant frequency 1.8 GHz. It is fabricated on Rogers RO4003 substrate and fed by using a coplanar waveguide (CPW). A graphene layer is added on one side of the substrate to realize frequency reconfigurability and improve the array gain. The proposed array acquires -10 dB impedance bandwidth of the RSAA that extends from 1.7 GHz to 2.6 GHz, from 3.2 to 3.8 GHz, and from 5.2 GHz to 7 GHz. The proposed array achieved a realized peak gain of 7.5 dBi at 6.5 GHz at 0 Volt bias with an average gain of 4.5 dBi over the operating band. When the graphene bias is increased to 20 Volt, the antenna bandwidth extends from 1 GHz to 4 GHz and from 5 to 7 GHz with a peak gain of 14 dBi at 3.5 GHz and an average gain of 7.5 dBi. The linearly polarized operation of the proposed array over the operating bands makes it suitable for short-range wireless communications.