Transparent Antenna with High-Conductivity Edge Line
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional antennas made from metal materials with good conductive properties are not transparent, limiting their application in transparent devices such as smart windows, and antennas made from transparent materials like indium tin oxide (ITO) have low radiation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A transparent antenna is designed with a substantially transparent base substrate and an antenna electrode featuring a transparent conductive layer and a conductive line with higher electrical conductivity than the layer, which abuts the edge of the conductive layer, improving energy and radiation efficiency while maintaining transparency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal materials with good conductive properties are used to form an antenna, then electrical conductivity is improved, but transparency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna uses a composite structure combining transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer with metal nanowire network. The TCO layer provides baseline transparency and conductivity, while the metal nanowire overlay enhances electrical conductivity through multiple interconnected pathways, achieving both transparency and good conductivity simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The metal nanowires are strategically distributed and concentrated in specific regions where current density is highest, such as along the antenna perimeter and at corners. This local enhancement approach optimizes conductivity where most needed while minimizing impact on overall transparency and reducing material usage
2Illumination intensity
If transparent materials like ITO are used to form an antenna, then transparency is improved, but radiation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid TCO-metallized structure creates multiple parallel current pathways with lower overall resistance compared to pure TCO antennas. The metal nanowire network compensates for the high resistivity of transparent materials, enabling better current distribution and reduced ohmic losses while maintaining optical transparency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the electrical parameters of the antenna by introducing metal nanowires that reduce surface resistance from typically high values (several ohms per square) to lower values suitable for efficient radiation. This parameter transformation enables the transparent antenna to achieve acceptable radiation efficiency without sacrificing transparency
3Reliability
If a conductive line with higher electrical conductivity is added to the transparent conductive layer, then electrical conductivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal nanowires are deposited as a flexible, thin-film network overlay on the TCO layer using solution-processing techniques. This approach adds the high-conductivity layer without requiring rigid structures or complex assembly, maintaining the flexibility and simplicity of the overall device fabrication process
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive line enhancement is merged with the antenna pattern itself, where the metal nanowires follow the antenna geometry and feed line paths. This integration approach combines the conductive line function with the antenna structure, avoiding separate additive complexity while achieving improved conductivity where needed
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the energy transmission and radiation efficiency of the antenna while maintaining transparency, simplifying the fabrication process and reducing costs, and allows for the creation of transparent devices like smart windows with improved radio frequency transmission capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
the antenna electrode comprises a substantially transparent conductive layer... an electrical conductivity of the first conductive line is greater than an electrical conductivity of the substantially transparent conductive layer
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna configured to transmit or receive a signal is provided. The antenna includes a substantially transparent base substrate and an antenna electrode on the substantially transparent base substrate. The antenna electrode includes a substantially transparent conductive layer, and a first conductive line abutting an edge portion of the substantially transparent conductive layer and electrically connected to the edge portion of the substantially transparent conductive layer. An electrical conductivity of the first conductive line is greater than an electrical conductivity of the substantially transparent conductive layer.