Design of 5CB liquid crystal antenna for tunable microwave frequency applications

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cyanobiphenyls (CBs) are a class of molecules with unique properties that make them highly versatile in various fields. Their anisotropic nature, low viscosity, and sensitivity to external stimuli make them ideal for applications in display technology, photonic devices, sensors, and in tunable antennas. In this article, we present the design and simulation of a 5CB LC antenna for tunable microwave frequency applications due to its fast response time and low dielectric loss than other CB materials. The proposed antenna contains two glass substrates with an air gap of 0.004 mm between them. The lower glass contains a size of 20 × 15 mm2, while the upper glass contains a size of 13 × 15 mm2. The proposed antenna produces two bands when there is an air gap between the glass plates; three bands when diodes are used for the radiating patch; and four bands when 5CB LC material is introduced between the glass plates as a dielectric medium. The same structure produces various frequency bands, which is a notable advantage compared to the existing state of the art. All the results shown in this manuscript were simulated and measured with the body of data available from the literature.