Investigations of Embroidery Antennas on Polymer Substrate

For everyday human life, people desire to stay connected via an advanced wireless network. Although cellular phone is worthy in various applications, people are likely to carry a wide range of mobile devices and constantly connect with each other. Future communication network requires a new class of front-ends electronic devices that are small, light-weight, conformal, multifunctional but also environment-friendly, inexpensive and good performance. Once of the key factors to achieve this goal is to integrate the wireless antenna into garments as daily clothes and enhance its durability. Consequently, these wearable antennas need not only possess good RF performance characteristics but also mechanical structure which adaptable to conformity and durability. This presents a novel class embroidery patch antenna on polymer composite - polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). By lamination and polymer integration, fully embroidered polymer patch antenna with ground plane have been designed, fabricated and tested. Analysis of the effect of conductive patch weight as well as conductive characteristics using different embroidery structures on antenna performance has been carried out.