3D Printed EM Lens Focusing Antenna Design for Location-Based Services in 5G/6G Systems: Complexity Reduction and Performance Improvement

To achieve better antenna performance and eventually radio localization in fifth and/or sixth generation (5G/6G) wireless systems, it requires massive antenna array-based radio frequency (RF) front ends, resulting in increased overall hardware and computational complexity. In this paper, we propose an electromagnetic (EM) lens focusing antenna, which is capable of providing improved antenna parameters with less complexity as compared to traditional without lens antenna. The proposed EM lens antenna array, where an EM lens, fabricated by a 3D printer, is combined with a microstrip patch antenna array, has an ability to focus the incoming signal on a small area/subset of the antenna array, after passing through the lens, as a function of the angle of arrival (AoA). Resultantly, with the same signal energy as without a lens, we have to process a subset of the antenna array, which eventually contributes to reducing the complexity of the overall RF front end. Furthermore, the performance of the antenna parameters is enhanced significantly. The measured results, i.e., gain and 3 dB beamwidth, are 15.4 dB and 31.5°, respectively, in the case when a single 4.2 GHz frequency patch antenna is combined with an EM lens, which are much improved as compared to the traditional without lens antenna. The improved antenna parameters and AoA-based focusing ability of the proposed 3D-printed lens antenna show that the location-based services for 5G and 6G systems can be achieved in a better way with less complexity.