Design of a compact super wideband all-textile antenna for radio frequency energy harvesting and wearable devices

In this article, a compact super-wideband flexible textile antenna is proposed. It operates over an extremely broad frequency range from 3.16 to 50 GHz. The proposed design is characterized by its simple geometry, consisting of an offset rectangular patch, which is incorporated with three slots to enhance its performance, while a circular parasitic patch is positioned on the opposite side of the substrate. The proposed antenna prototype is fabricated on a footprint of 30 mm x 25 mm x 1 mm, which measures an electrical dimension of 0.31 lambda(0) x 0.26 lambda(0) x 0.012 lambda(0) at 3.16 GHz. As per measurements, a wide bandwidth of 15.82:1 from 3.16 to 50 GHz is achieved with a peak gain of 7.70 dBi at 23.05 GHz. Furthermore, the ADS software is employed to create and analyze the equivalent circuit model of the designed antenna whose simulation studies are executed using CST software. The suggested antenna's overall performance is described by investigating the effects of structural bending and also proximity to the human body. Moreover, it provides acceptable values of specific absorption rate, ensuring lower absorption, which are under the safety standard limits for RF exposure. The measured results correlate with simulated results. Owing to its simple topology, compact size, super-wideband behavior, and high gain, endorse its suitability for low-power requirement applications in the real world.