Design and Comparative Performance Analysis of THz Microstrip Patch Antenna Using ZEONEX® as a Polymer Substrate for 6G Applications
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Microstrip Patch Antenna, 6G, 3THz, THz Band, ZEONEX®
Abstract
This study presents the design and performance comparison of a microstrip patch antenna operating at 3 THz. The main contribution is to introduce and evaluate ZEONEX® (Cyclic Olefin Polymer (COP)) as a low-loss polymer substrate alongside various conducting patch materials. In this study, ZEONEX® was used as the common substrate, and the behavior of four metallic patch materials (silver, copper, gold, and aluminum) was analyzed using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Studio Suite. The simulation results demonstrate the impact of the investigated conducting patch materials on the antenna's electromagnetic performance when combined with the ZEONEX® substrate. This combination achieved a stable resonance at 3 THz with a good voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of 1.07–1.11. Importantly, the designs demonstrate a wide bandwidth of 80 GHz and achieve high realized gain in the range of 7.01–7.28 dBi, which is comparable to reported values in previous THz antenna studies. These results indicate that ZEONEX® is a promising substrate material for THz antenna designs in next-generation communication systems.
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