Dielectric resonator antenna with Y3Al5O12 transparent dielectric ceramics for 5G millimeter‐wave applications

Microwave dielectric ceramics are considered to be one of the key materials for dielectric resonators (DR) and have very broad application prospects in the fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system. Here we have prepared high‐quality factor Y3Al5O12 (YAG) transparent dielectric ceramics using high‐purity α‐Al2O3 and Y2O3 powders by cold isostatic pressing of the vacuum sintered with tungsten meshes as the heating elements. Optimum relative permittivity (εr) ~10.53, quality factor Q × f (Q = 1/dielectric loss, f = resonant frequency) ~95, 270 GHz (at =7.37 GHz), and temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (TCF) ~ −51.7 ppm °C−1 were obtained at a sintering temperature of 1780°C for 12 h. For the first time, YAG transparent ceramic dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) is designed as a dominant TE111y mode and a higher‐order TE113y mode using the aperture coupling feeding configuration excitation. The proposed transparent dielectric ceramic DRA can provide a broad impedance bandwidth of 4.193 GHz (ranging from 21.90 to 26.09 GHz) for S11 < −10 dB, radiation efficiency of 92.1%, and compact DR unit. The proposed DRA can be used potentially as a 5G millimeter (mm)‐wave multiple‐input‐multiple‐output (MIMO) antenna unit. YAG transparent dielectric ceramics were fabricated by cold isostatic pressing (CIP) of the vacuum sintered with tungsten meshes as the heating elements. Since the YAG transparent ceramic have a suitable relative permittivity, low dielectric loss and excellent optical properties, making it a promising material for high quality factor YAG transparent dielectric ceramic DRA for 5G mm‐wave application for the first time. The characteristics of the proposed DRA indicate that it is an excellent candidate for 5G mm‐wave MIMO antenna application.