Original research articleTHz rectangular microstrip patch antenna employing polyimide substrate for video rate imaging and homeland defence applications

This paper demonstrates a polyimide based optical rectangular patch antenna capable of operating at THz frequencies. The proposed antenna's performance has been analysed in terms of various antenna characteristics such as impedance bandwidth (GHz), directivity (dBi), gain (dB), return loss (dB) and VSWR. The Polyimide substrate having thickness of 20 μm and lower dielectric constant, εr of 3.5 has been employed in the antenna design. The feedline, radiating patch and ground deployed in the proposed THz antenna design are of copper (Cu) having conductivity and resistivity of 5.8 × 107 S/m and 1.68 × 10−8 Ω− m, respectively. The proposed antenna has been fed by means of microstrip feedline having impedance of 49.78 Ω. The proffered antenna has a gain of 5.22 dB and directivity of 5.08 dBi at corresponding resonant frequency of 0.67 THz. The propounded antenna has an impedance bandwidth of 40.16 GHz with operating frequency range of 0.65 THz to 0.69 THz with corresponding resonant frequency of 0.67 THz. The proposed antenna can be suitably employed for video rate imaging system (0.6 THz) and homeland defence applications (0.6-0.8 THz). The designing and simulation of the proposed antenna has been performed using CST Microwave Studio 2014 based on the method of FDTD technique.