Estimations of Matching Layers Effects on Lens Antenna Characteristics

The dielectric lens antenna is a prime candidate for the mm-wave 5G communications system. The size and the radiation efficiency can be improved by using a high-density dielectric lens antenna. However, the dense dielectric material lenses can make some antenna properties deteriorate due to the reflections at the surface between the air and the dielectric. These unexpected effects can be solved by using a quarter-wavelength matching layer (ML). In this paper, the authors perform the study to estimate the influence of the ML on the antenna properties on specific dielectric materials. The results illustrate a marked improvement in gain, a significant reduction in the side-lobe level, and considerable changes in the electric field distribution on the plane with and without using the ML. Besides, the article also shows the abilities to minimize the antenna size when different types of dielectric materials are chosen while maintaining the antenna radiation characteristics. © 2020, ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.