A Novel Transparent Microwave Thin Film Coating Technique Applied to Dual-Band Antennas

Abstract: In this paper, we propose a novel transparent microwave thin film coating technique and discuss its application in planar dual-band antennas (0.9/5.55 GHz). We developed a new process for activating the nano-alignment thin film from high to low resistivity (from 1.96 to 1.29 × 10⁻⁴ Ω cm) and from partial to full transparency (from 55 to 83% transmittance) within 150 s. The platform of the activation process comprises a periodic electrode, an optical microscope, and an alternating current signal generator. The periodic electrode can effectively rearrange the nano-alignment thin film into an ordered arrangement, which enhances the properties of the thin film in the microwave frequency range. A high-transparency and low-resistivity dual-band antenna is designed and fabricated using the proposed microwave thin film coating technique. The dual-band antenna has operating bandwidths of 740–960 and 5030–7030 MHz and potential applications in transparent electronics such as wearable devices and intelligent cars. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].