Inkjet-printed antenna on flexible substrate for wearable microwave imaging applications

Abstract

The paper describes a method of inkjet-printing a Co-Planar Waveguide (CPW)-fed flexible antenna for the development of a wearable microwave imaging (MWI) device for cancer detection and monitoring. The single side of a monopole antenna is represented as a fractal pattern with customized slots. The antenna is inkjet-printed using a low-cost additive fabrication method on a flexible substrate such as Kapton using Dimatix materials printer. Simulation using CST Microwave Studio and measurement carried out on an inkjet printed antenna with a VNA confirm that the designed antenna bandwidth ranges from 2.5GHz to 6.5GHz making it suitable for Microwave imaging applications.