Revolutionary and revolutionary UWB antenna

Kyocera AVX has released the innovative new surface-mount, on-ground, UWB LDS Tulip antenna (9002305L0-L01K) for 6-8.5GHz applications.

The novel UWB LDS Tulip antenna is manufactured using laser direct structuring (LDS) technology. This process permits the company to create conductive traces on complex 3D structures with unique patterns and design antennas that produce numerous advantages, including substantial space and weight savings, unparalleled precision and accuracy, and optimised performance. As a result, the new antenna functions as an onboard and on-ground antenna characterised by an omnidirectional radiation pattern with outstanding 360° phase stability, constant group delay, and linear polarisation – all of which play an essential role in signal reconstruction and further improve the accuracy of low-energy, short-range, and high-bandwidth UWB systems.

Its superior group delay and phase distribution characteristics improve the accuracy of the PDoA, which translates into improved system-level services, such as AoA and ToF, maximises the precision of device localisation in space, and ensures secure communication with said device. Further, given its on-ground capabilities, it can be placed anywhere on a PCB, including the middle of the board and over metal, enabling improved design flexibility compared to strictly off-ground antennas, which need ground clearance and, as such, are placed along the perimeters of PCBs.

The antenna has a small form factor that measures 6.4mm x 6.4mm x 5.58mm, weighs ~0.1g, and supports SMT pick-and-place assembly. It is also compliant with the latest versions of the RoHS and REACH regulations and optimised for 6–8.5GHz UWB applications, such as smart city, mobility, retail, asset tracking, healthcare, fitness, security, handheld, and connectivity operations, including telematics and other IoT applications.

“LDS technology allowed us to develop a compact ultra-wideband antenna with a constant phase that delivers unparalleled accuracy in UWB systems and cannot be replicated by traditional stamped metal or flexible printed circuit antennas,” said Carmen Redondo, director of Global Marketing for Antennas at KYOCERA AVX. “The ability to integrate complex mechanical designs in miniature 3D shapes allows us to optimise antenna size, performance, and emissions in even extremely small and oddly shaped designs, satisfy customer and regulatory specifications more easily, and help customers in various segments of the rapidly expanding smart technology industry improve time-to-market.”

When installed on a 40mm x 40mm PCB, the UWB LDS Tulip antenna typically exhibits 2ns maximum group delay, 4.3dBi peak gain, 2W continuous wave power handling, and 61% average efficiency.