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Flexible branch‐line coupler using rubber conductive Z oflex for conformal application
Author(s) -
Samingan M. L.,
Rahim S. K. A.,
Sabran M. I.,
Ramli M. R.,
Babale S. A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
microwave and optical technology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1098-2760
pISSN - 0895-2477
DOI - 10.1002/mop.30654
Subject(s) - materials science , polydimethylsiloxane , electrical conductor , fabrication , composite material , substrate (aquarium) , return loss , conductor , durability , microwave , bending , natural rubber , dielectric , optoelectronics , electrical impedance , electrical engineering , computer science , engineering , telecommunications , oceanography , alternative medicine , pathology , antenna (radio) , geology , medicine
This letter presents the design of a flexible branch‐line coupler (BLC) using a rubber conductor (Zoflex) as the conductive element and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a substrate. The BLC is meant to operate at 6 GHz operating frequency. The use of PDMS material as a substrate for the BLC design adds a special characteristic of the PDMS on this passive microwave device. The PDMS has some unique properties such as transparency, durability, and lightweight. Moreover, its high electrical resistivity of 2.9 × 10 14 Ω m and moderate dielectric constant of 2.7 make the PDMS a good substrate material for flexible devices. This desirable property gives the proposed device full range of flexibility and a great advantage in terms of durability without degrading the performance of the BLC. From the results obtained for bending and non‐bending conditions, it can be seen that within the frequency range of operation, both the return loss and the isolation are kept below the theoretical value of −10 dB. The slight difference observed in the simulated and measured FBWs is due the fabrication tolerances.