Circular Bond-Wire Array Antenna

In the pursuit of higher data transfer rates for short range wireless communication purposes such as Wi-Fi and point-to-point networks, the 60 GHz ISM band is expected to gain popularity in the near future. This is leading to new antenna designs that can be fully integrated with the front-end electronics. The main two types of integrated antennas are the Antenna on Chip (AoC) and the Antenna in Package (AiP). A third, hybrid, antenna model is the Bond-Wire Antenna (BWA), which combines a relatively high radiation efficiency with excellent integration possibilities. This project proposed an array antenna design that can achieve such a radiation pattern. A prototype of the BWA array was constructed and tested at the laboratory showing good performance. A circular array of BWA elements can provide a broad and omnidirectional pattern, with each BWA being very directive. This makes it excellent for point to point applications, where transmitter and receiver positions are fixed. A new iteration of this antenna is under development to address construction difficulties and improve efficiency. The technology transfer scope for this is worldwide as there are no hardware factories in Chile that package microchips.