Future antenna design challenges in the field of 5G and IoT are demanding. 5G is evolving towards complex antenna arrays needed to compensate for the higher propagation losses at higher carrier frequencies. This development is inevitable as higher capacity and larger data rates can only be achieved at sub-mmW or mmW frequencies where plenty of free spectrum is still available.

 

Antenna form factor and larger losses at these frequencies also weave antenna designs tighter into the RF electronics, which gives new opportunities for system optimization. On the other hand, the range and power goals of IoT demand solutions for sub-GHz frequencies, providing extreme challenges to design efficient radiators in a compact size and with flexible form factors.

Together with accurate modelling of highly directive pencil beams, the key challenges in radio propagation research are related to modelling the dedicated environments for various IoT applications like the industrial internet.