Additively Manufactured Mobile Device Lens Case for 5G Antenna Gain
Midshipman Researcher(s): 1/C Bryson Horn
Adviser(s): Assoc. Professor Deborah Mechtel, Assoc. Professor Hatem ElBidweihy, LT Steven Yee
Poster #38
5G promises higher data rates and low latency. However, increased path loss at mm-wave frequencies relative to 4G-LTE frequency bands motivates highly directional antennas to mitigate the loss in transmission. This research presents a low-cost, small-profile 3-D printed lens integrated into an additively manufactured phone case to improve the performance of mm-wave antennas on a mobile device. Currently, most proposed lenses for mm-wave applications have been for base station type antennas and are not compatible in size and form with a mobile device’s structure. This lens presents a solution for compact, multi-functional electronic antenna packaging for mobile devices.
