Flexible printed circuit board (FPC) antennas offer designers a unique combination of performance, ease of integration, and flexibility. They deliver each of these benefits without the same real estate requirements and ground plane space that a surface-mounted device (SMD) antenna would need.
This list of benefits and features bode well for a mixture of projects: especially for those where PCB real estate is at a premium or for a first-generation device where production volumes are going to be smaller.
Getting to know: FPC antennas
FPC antennas consist of an antenna on a flexible circuit, which connects to the host PCB via a coaxial cable (and connector). The circuit itself is highly flexible, with one side covered in adhesive, allowing it to be stuck down onto a product housing or away from the host PCB. They can even be bent around objects, which creates unique opportunities to integrate these antennas on a rigid design.
Most FPCs available on the market consist of a polyimide flexible PCB with a trace printed on the substrate, which can facilitate a range of antenna topologies, as designed for the application.
Recent innovations in flexible circuit technologies have enabled manufacturers to create solutions to overcome the increasing functionality required by Internet of Things devices, all while meeting miniaturisation requirements.
For details, click https://blog.antenova.com/flexiiant-integration-guide.
Hordon Kim
International Editor, hordon@powerelectronics.co.kr
