The antennas have been tested at various frequencies up to 48 GHz
Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed 3D-printed radio antennas that could be used to bring mobile networks to people living in remote areas.
In a release, the University of Sheffield noted that these 3D-printed millimeter wave aerials are quicker and cheaper to produce than those currently used by the telecommunications industry, adding that they offer the same level of performance.
The mmWave aerials, which have been designed, made and tested by researchers from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, have radio frequency performance that matches those produced using conventional manufacturing techniques, the university said. It added that the 3D-printed antennas could speed up the development of new 5G and 6G infrastructure as well as help to open up access to the technologies for people living in remote areas, both in the U.K. and around the world.
“This 3D-printed design could be a game changer for the telecommunications industry. It enables us to prototype and produce antennas for 5G and 6G networks at a far lower cost and much quicker than the current manufacturing techniques. The design could also be used to produce antennas on a much larger scale and therefore have the capability to cover more areas and bring the fastest mobile networks to parts of the world that have not yet had access,” said Eddie Ball, from the Communications Research Group at the University of Sheffield.
Radio frequency testing of the antenna was performed using the University of Sheffield’s UKRI National mmWave Measurement Lab. The mmWave measurement facility can measure systems on chip and antennas to 110 GHz.
The antennas use silver nanoparticles, which have excellent electrical properties for radio frequency, and the unversity said that they have been tested at various frequencies up to 48 GHz that are used by 5G and expected to be used for future 6G networks.
The research was funded by the U.K. Government’s Defense and Security Accelerator and Defense Science and Technology Laboratory.
The U.K. government has previously announced a joint ambition with local mobile network operators to increase the share of open and interoperable equipment in U.K. networks to 35% by 2030. The government noted that Vodafone and Telefonica are currently deploying their first live O-RAN sites using new market entrants.
