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Low-cost ‘paper antenna’ paves way for large-scale 5G upgrade on Chinese warships: study

Paper-based antenna devised by Chinese team is positioned as a low-cost, scalable ‘last-mile’ communication solution

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Chinese scientists say their “paper antenna” could ultimately be “suitable for the complex environment of ships”. Photo: AFP
Chao Kongin Beijing
Chinese researchers have developed a flexible 5G millimetre-wave antenna made from photo paper which they say slashes material costs by more than 95 per cent, potentially removing a key barrier to large-scale naval 5G adoption.

They described a paper-based flexible multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna engineered specifically for shipborne 5G communications in a study published in the peer-reviewed Chinese Journal of Ship Research and led by Yang Wendong of Liaoning Technical University.

The team said the innovation could “realise millimetre-wave communication antennas suitable for the complex environment of ships”.

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The design replaced the expensive and rigid conventional foundation boards, or substrates, used in high-end electronics with commercially available glossy photo paper less than 0.3mm thick, combined with screen-printed conductive copper paste.

In their paper, the authors said the design cut material costs by more than 95 per cent compared to traditional microwave substrates, while also offering a product that was biodegradable and suitable for large-scale deployment. The paper-based antenna is positioned as a low-cost, scalable “last-mile” communication solution.

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