Research Progress on 6G Communication Antenna Technology

With the deepening of fifth-generation mobile communication technology (5G) commercialization and the surge in demand for intelligent connectivity of all things, the sixth-generation mobile communication technology (6G) has entered a phase of technological breakthroughs. The innovation in antenna design will determine the upper limits of 6G communication. This paper systematically reviews the research progress on antenna technology for 6G communications, focusing on operating frequency bands, antenna structure design, and materials and packaging technologies. The development of 6G communication technology drives antenna research toward higher-frequency bands, with the current research focus extending from the millimeter wave (mmWave) band to the terahertz (THz) band. Compared to the traditional mmWave band, the THz band shows significant advantages in performance indicators. At the antenna structure level, its development trend is mainly reflected in the following three aspects: size miniaturization, scale expansion and distributed deployment, and expansion of frequency bands and functions. New materials and advanced packaging have become key enabling technologies: materials with low-loss characteristics and tunable surface conductivity have become research focuses. Meanwhile, advanced packaging processes achieve miniaturization and high-performance integration of antenna systems. This review aims to provide a systematic technical reference for the research and engineering development of next-generation 6G antennas.