Metasurface Retroreflector for Controlling Parasitic Surface Waves on Bodies of 5G Mobile Phones

TL;DR

This paper introduces a metasurface retroreflector designed to control parasitic surface waves on 5G smartphones, enhancing antenna efficiency and radiation pattern by reducing surface-wave propagation on glass screens.

Contribution

It proposes a novel compact metasurface below the smartphone glass to suppress surface waves, improving millimeter-wave antenna performance in mobile devices.

Findings

Significant reduction in surface-wave excitation.

Improved antenna radiation pattern and efficiency.

Effective control of parasitic surface waves on glass screens.

Abstract

The smartphone, as a media device, should offer a large-size screen and fast data rates in a well-packed device. Emergent 5G technologies based on millimeter waves need efficiently radiating antennas integrated into devices whose bodies (especially glass screens) behave as waveguides in the antenna frequency bands. Using the concept of retroreflective surfaces, this work proposes a compact metasurface located below the smartphone glass screen which reduces surface-wave excitation and propagation, and significantly improves the radiation pattern and efficiency of millimeter-wave antennas integrated into mobile terminals.