Every wireless device needs an antenna, and flexible circuits offer unique advantages for antenna integration. The ability to conform to product enclosures, integrate antennas with interconnects, and position antennas optimally for RF performance makes flex an ideal platform for wireless design.
Antenna-on-flex solutions range from simple loop antennas for NFC to sophisticated mmWave arrays for 5G. The key to success is careful attention to materials, geometry, and impedance matching - combined with practical design for manufacturing.
Our antenna flex capability combines RF design expertise with flexible circuit manufacturing precision. We help you achieve the wireless performance your product needs, whether that's reliable Bluetooth in a wearable, high-speed WiFi in a laptop, or wide-area cellular in an IoT device.
Antenna designs for all major wireless protocols: NFC, BLE, WiFi 6E, 5G (sub-6 and mmWave), GPS, UWB, and more.
Precise 50Ω (or custom) impedance control ensures maximum power transfer. Matching networks integrated on flex when needed.
Low-Dk polyimide and Rogers materials minimize insertion loss for best efficiency and range. Material selected for your frequency.
Designs optimized for regulatory compliance. We support testing and iteration for successful wireless certification.
Flexible antenna solutions for the full wireless spectrum.
Loop antennas for contactless payment, access control, and device pairing. Size optimization for required read range. Q-factor tuning for reader/card mode.
2.4 GHz antennas for BLE connectivity. PIFA, monopole, and chip antenna feed designs. Critical for wearables and IoT devices.
Dual-band and tri-band antenna designs for WiFi 6E. MIMO configurations with proper isolation between elements.
Sub-6 GHz antenna solutions for cellular IoT. Multi-band designs for global operation. 5G mmWave arrays for high-speed applications.
Patch and PIFA antennas for location services. Right-hand circular polarization for optimal satellite reception.
6-8 GHz antennas for precision location and secure ranging. Wide bandwidth designs for UWB pulses.
Different antenna structures suit different applications and form factors.
Simple, effective for NFC and RFID applications. Size directly relates to read range. Easy integration around product perimeter.
Compact antenna suitable for cellular and WiFi. Low profile with ground plane. Common choice for smartphones and IoT.
Directional radiation pattern for GPS, satellite, and point-to-point links. Higher gain than omnidirectional options.
Simple omnidirectional patterns for Bluetooth and general wireless. Often fed from flex cable with antenna element.
When space is extremely limited, chip antenna mounting with optimized feed and ground. We design the matching network.
Multiple antenna elements for 5G beamforming. Complex feed networks on flex for antenna-to-radio interconnect.
Successful antenna-on-flex requires attention to RF details.
Standard polyimide works well to 6 GHz. Higher frequencies benefit from low-Dk polyimide or Rogers materials. We recommend based on your frequency.
Antenna performance depends heavily on ground plane size and shape. We help optimize ground geometry for your enclosure constraints.
Feed lines are designed for 50Ω (or specified) characteristic impedance. TDR testing verifies impedance on production.
When needed, L-C matching networks can be integrated on flex. Component placement optimized for RF performance.
Antenna performance changes in the final product enclosure. We support design iteration based on in-device measurements.
Designs consider FCC, CE, and other regulatory requirements from the start. We support pre-compliance testing and iteration.
Conformal NFC loop antenna integrated with display flex cable. Optimized for payment and access control with in-watch tuning.
Multi-band LTE antenna on flex for industrial IoT gateway. Covers bands 2/4/12/13/66 for North American operation.
Tri-band MIMO antenna system on flex for notebook WiFi. Two elements with >15dB isolation for 2x2 MIMO operation.
We offer both design services and manufacturing. Our RF team can design antennas to your specifications, or we can manufacture from your provided design. Design services include simulation and optimization.
We support antenna applications from NFC (13.56 MHz) through mmWave 5G (to 77 GHz). Material selection and processes are adapted for your frequency requirements.
We support the certification process through design optimization and iteration based on pre-compliance testing results. Final certification testing is performed by accredited labs.
We perform impedance measurements (return loss, VSWR) on flex antennas. For efficiency and pattern measurements, we work with antenna test facilities. In-device testing is typically done by the customer.
Yes, a key advantage of flex antennas is integration with interconnects and other functions. We carefully design to minimize interference between antenna and other circuits.
