Empty Substrate Integrated Waveguide Slot Antenna Array for 5G Applications

This paper introduces a linear slot antenna array based on an empty substrate integrated waveguide at 28 GHz. The proposed antenna offers the advantages of reduced weight and fabrication cost as well as facilitates relatively easier integration with planar electronic components as compared to conventional slotted waveguide antenna arrays. A high gain and efficiency and low losses are major considerations which can be achieved by the proposed design when compared to the substrate integrated waveguide slot antenna array. The proposed antenna geometry suggests an operating bandwidth of 10.4% (i.e. 26.5-29.4 GHz) suitable to fulfil 5G demands with high gain performance of 11.6 dBi at 28GHz.