Proximity Effects of Plastic Laptop Covers on Radiation Characteristics of 60-GHz Antennas

Author

Amadjikpè, Arnaud L. ; Choudhury, Debabani ; Ponchak, George E. ; Pan, Bo ; Li, Yuan ; Papapolymerou, John

Author_Institution

Sch. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Georgia Inst. of Technol., Atlanta, GA, USA

Volume

8

fYear

2009

fDate

7/1/1905 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

763

Lastpage

766

Abstract

This letter highlights impacts on radiation characteristics of 60-GHz antennas operated in the proximity of plastic laptop covers. A series of experiments are carried out with antennas placed under plastic laptop cover materials. Antenna peak gain attenuation through the plastic cover materials is characterized as a function of frequency, distance between antenna and cover, as well as dielectric properties of the materials. The attenuation is moderate and in the order of 2 to 4.5 dB. Diffraction occurs at the cover edges and results in nulls in the antenna radiation pattern. The direction of the nulls is aligned with the cover edges. A null corresponds to more than a 15-dB drop in the antenna gain and might result in a link failure for 60-GHz point-to-point communications.

Keywords

antenna radiation patterns; dielectric materials; electromagnetic interference; laptop computers; millimetre waves; antenna radiation characteristic; antenna radiation pattern; dielectric property; electromagnetic diffraction; frequency 60 GHz; millimeter wave; plastic laptop cover; point-to-point communication; proximity effects; 60-GHz antennas; electromagnetic diffraction; laptop material environment; millimeter wave; radiation characteristics;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1536-1225

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LAWP.2009.2026299

Filename

5129787