Review Antenna Design for Modern Mobile Phones: A Review

Abstract

Review Antenna Design for Modern Mobile Phones: A Review Wang Y, Sun L, Du Z, Zhang Z. Review Antenna Design for Modern Mobile Phones: A Review. Electromagnetic Science, 2(2):1-36. June 2024, doi: 10.23919/emsci.2023.0052. Abstract Due to limited antenna space, high communication requirements, and strict regulatory constraints, the design of antennas for modern mobile phones has become an exceedingly challenging task. In recent years, numerous studies have been conducted in this area, leading to significant advancements. This review paper comprehensively summarizes recent progress made in antenna design for modern mobile phones. Firstly, the challenges faced in antenna design for modern mobile phones are described, including bandwidth enhancement, integration and decoupling techniques, mm-wave array antennas, satellite communication antennas, as well as interactions between mobile antennas and the human body. Secondly, the basic antenna types (such as inverted-F, slot, loop, and planar inverted-F antennas) commonly used in modern metal-bezel mobile phones along with their key characteristics are briefly summarized. Thirdly, the commonly employed methods used in practical applications for designing wideband antennas within compact sizes and achieving decoupling among multiple antennas with wide bandwidths are collected. Fourthly, recent advances in the design of compact, wideband, and wide- angle scanning mm-wave arrays for modern mobile phones are summarized. Fifthly, recent progress made in satellite communication antenna designs for modern mobile phones, including broadside and end-fire radiation patterns, is presented. Sixthly, recent studies on the interaction between mobile antennas and the human body are briefly concluded. Finally, the future challenge of antenna design for mobile phones is briefly discussed. It is our hope that this comprehensive review will provide readers with a systematic understanding of antenna design principles applicable to modern mobile phones. Excerpts "Currently, with the improvement of communication requirements and the evolution of communication specifications, the number of antennas in smartphones has reached 20–30 (as depicted in Figure 3), including the following antennas: • Four antennas for LB (low band): 698–960 MHz; • Four antennas for MHB (mid- and high-band) MIMO operation: 1710–2690 MHz; • Four antennas for 5G New Radio (NR) band MIMO operation: 3300–4200 MHz & 4400–5000 MHz; • Two or more dual-band millimeter-wave AiP antennas: 24.25-29.50 GHz and 37.00-43.50 GHz; • One or more satellite communication antennas: the operating band is the L- or S-band; • Two GNSS (global navigation satellite system) antennas: GPS L5 at 1176 MHz and GPS L1 at 1575 MHz; • Two to four tri-band WiFi (wireless fidelity) and BT (Bluetooth) antennas: 2400–2484 MHz, 5150–5350 MHz, and 5725–5825 MHz; • One NFC (near field communication) antenna: 13.56 MHz; • Three UWB (ultra-wideband) antennas: 6240–6740 MHz and 7750–8250 MHz." "In [199], the interaction principle of antenna radiation fields with nearby human bodies are analyzed by using electromagnetic boundary conditions. Under these boundary conditions, the horizontal E-field penetrates human tissue more easily than the vertical E-field does [199], as shown in Figure 49. Thus, mobile antennas with a vertical E-field have a higher on-body efficiency and lower SAR. As shown in Figure 50, a smartwatch antenna with a vertical E-field has a weak E-field in the human body, thus, the performance of an antenna with a vertical E-field is approximately 4 dB greater than that of an antenna with a horizontal E-field [200], [201]. Additionally, the vertical E- field method can also be applied to ear-bar TWS earphones, which can improve the antenna performance from 19.1% to 30.9% with a vertical E-field [202]." Open access paper: ieeexplore.ieee.org

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

This review summarizes recent progress in modern mobile phone antenna design, including wideband compact antennas, multi-antenna decoupling, mm-wave array antennas, satellite communication antennas, and interactions between antennas and the human body. It notes (citing prior work) that under certain boundary-condition analyses, horizontal E-fields penetrate human tissue more easily than vertical E-fields, and that antennas with vertical E-fields are associated with higher on-body efficiency and lower SAR in the cited examples.

Outcomes measured

• Antenna design challenges for modern mobile phones (bandwidth enhancement, integration/decoupling, mm-wave arrays, satellite antennas)
• Interactions between mobile antennas and the human body
• Specific smartphone antenna operating bands (LB, MHB, 5G NR sub-6, mmWave, WiFi/BT, GNSS, NFC, UWB, satellite)
• Discussion of E-field orientation effects on on-body efficiency and SAR (as summarized from cited studies)

Limitations

• Narrative review; no original experimental or epidemiological results reported in the abstract
• Findings about SAR and human-body interaction are described as conclusions from cited studies; details of methods and quantitative effect sizes are not provided in the abstract
• No exposure measurements (e.g., SAR values) or health outcomes are reported

Suggested hubs

• 5g-policy (0.2)
  Discusses 5G NR sub-6 GHz and mmWave handset antenna bands and designs (engineering-focused, not policy).

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    "study_type": "review",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
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    "outcomes": [
        "Antenna design challenges for modern mobile phones (bandwidth enhancement, integration/decoupling, mm-wave arrays, satellite antennas)",
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        "Specific smartphone antenna operating bands (LB, MHB, 5G NR sub-6, mmWave, WiFi/BT, GNSS, NFC, UWB, satellite)",
        "Discussion of E-field orientation effects on on-body efficiency and SAR (as summarized from cited studies)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "This review summarizes recent progress in modern mobile phone antenna design, including wideband compact antennas, multi-antenna decoupling, mm-wave array antennas, satellite communication antennas, and interactions between antennas and the human body. It notes (citing prior work) that under certain boundary-condition analyses, horizontal E-fields penetrate human tissue more easily than vertical E-fields, and that antennas with vertical E-fields are associated with higher on-body efficiency and lower SAR in the cited examples.",
    "effect_direction": "unclear",
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    "keywords": [
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        "satellite communication",
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        "Bluetooth",
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