Performance analysis and comparison of MWCNT loaded ITO and TIO based optically transparent patch antennas for terahertz communications

Highlights: • Transparent conducting oxide materials based transparent patch antenna on polyimide substrate, with and without MWCNT short is analyzed in THz band. • The MWCNT loaded ITO and TIO based transparent antenna yields a return loss improvement of 0.94 dB and 1.33 dB, as compared to without MWCNT loaded ITO and TIO based transparent antenna. • The TCOMs transparent antennas have achieved the broad impedance bandwidth (>5%), high directivity (>7 dB), and high gain (≥2 dB). Multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) loaded transparent conducting oxide materials (TCOMs) based optically transparent antennas are designed to resonate at 750 GHz. TCOMs such as indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) and titanium-doped tin oxide (TIO) are used for designing the transparent terahertz patch antennas. Shorting pin technique is used to improve the impedance performances of the transparent antennas. The MWCNT is used for shorting the microstrip line with the ground plane of the antenna. By varying the position of short with respect to the antenna patch, the resonant frequency of the antennas are optimized to resonate at 750 GHz. The impedance and radiation performances of the MWCNT loaded transparent antennas are compared. A broad impedance bandwidth (−10 dB) is achieved for both the proposed antennas. The MWCNT shorting pin effect on radiation performances of the transparent antennas are discussed in detail. The antennas are simulated using finite element method (FEM) based electromagnetic solver, Ansys-HFSS.