Modern wireless applications need robust antennas, and that often means needing a long printed circuit board to integrate and support those applications. The design of an antenna can make or break your application, but relying on long PCBs can help you get the job done right.
The antenna can be built right onto your long printed circuit board with copper optimization designs boosting its capabilities.
Antennas tend to be an area where design can very difficult, and working with experts can help you optimize the impact your board will have. Get the best antenna by teaming up with the best engineers and manufacturers.
Antenna Application Use
Wireless antennas are used in almost every modern device that arrives in our homes. From cellphones and coffee makers to new washers and TVs, there’s an antenna, and it’s probably created right onto the circuit board.
Printed circuit board antenna applications vary significantly based on signal strength and requirements, so there are a variety of different antenna designs you’ll see in today’s PCBs.
The loop is the most basic iteration of a long PCB antenna where the manufacturer creates a closed loop of board copper that connects to the antenna terminals. Loops don’t have to be round, but they do need as large a circumference as possible because larger means more efficient and better operation. You’ll find loops in areas where there isn’t a great need for an efficient signal, like your garage door remote.
Patch antennas work well with coax or microstrip line production and are a relatively efficient option. Copper area design is common in WLAN networking thanks to strong support but narrow bandwidth. The thicker your dielectric materials, the better the bandwidth.
The meander line allows conductors to be shifted left and right over to boost strength while limiting the size of the antenna. It has a decrease in radiation resistance and efficiency due to the design, but it can be good if size is the top concern.
Slot antennas are a slot cut in a sheet of metal or directly in the copper plane on the PCB. It’s a complex design that requires matching because its impedance averages around several hundred ohms. It is a design often used in phase arrays.
Work With MCL Today
PCBs for antenna applications need to work hard to match your specific application, or you could be faced with a product that doesn’t work efficiently and an antenna that generates interference to the signals it will receive.
MCL has been building PCBs for Antenna Applications for over a decade, and we have supported almost every construction method and antenna type. Our engineers know the tolerances and restrictions that applications, materials and designs can create. We work hard to overcome any concerns and get you the antenna that works best for your application and your budget.