Thomas Sanders with Chris Zorman (Electrical Engineering)

Design of a Novel Microfabricated Antenna for Use in Lossy Media

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology has advanced to the point where wireless systems that incorporate microfabricated, thin film antennas are beginning to emerge, especially for harsh environment applications were wired systems are not practical options. But for such systems to be deployable, the micro-antenna must be packaged in such a way as to protect the metal conductor without affecting antenna performance. This research project will explore the use of silicon carbide as a thin film packaging technology for microfabricated antennas. Silicon carbide films of varying characteristics will be deposited onto microfabricated antennas and evaluated for their durability in harsh chemical environments. The antennas will be tested using standard characterization techniques before and after coating to determine the effect of the coating on antenna performance.