Futuristic cityscape with graphene antenna emitting terahertz waves.

Terahertz Patch Antennas: A New Frontier in Wireless Communication

Reese Marlowe in Tech & Innovation September 2025 • 4 min read.

"Explore the potential of graphene-based antennas in revolutionizing high-speed data transfer and miniaturized device technology."

Next-generation wireless communications are pushing the boundaries of data transmission, demanding antennas that are not only efficient but also capable of handling the ever-increasing data rates. Terahertz (THz) frequencies offer a promising solution, enabling broad bandwidth, high spatial resolution, and secure data transmission. The challenge lies in miniaturization, and microstrip patch antennas emerge as a suitable candidate for THz range devices due to their planar structure and ease of integration with other MMICs.

However, scaling down antenna size to micrometers requires operating at higher resonant frequencies within the optical domain, where traditional metallic antennas face significant attenuation due to low electron mobility. This limitation has spurred research into graphene-based antennas, which support Surface Plasmon Resonances (SPR) and can be designed with dimensions of just a few micrometers, radiating electromagnetic waves at the THz band.

Graphene's unique electronic and optical properties make it an efficient reflector in the THz frequency region, enhancing the reflection power of nano-antenna systems. Its ability to be tuned and controlled makes it an ideal material for advancing wireless communication technology.

How Graphene Antennas Overcome Traditional Limitations

Futuristic cityscape with graphene antenna emitting terahertz waves.

Traditional metallic antennas operating at terahertz (THz) frequencies face significant limitations due to the skin effect and low electron mobility at such high frequencies. This results in signal attenuation and reduced efficiency, hindering the performance of wireless communication devices. Graphene, however, offers a unique advantage due to its exceptional electrical and optical properties. It supports surface plasmon resonances (SPR), allowing for the creation of miniaturized antennas that can efficiently radiate electromagnetic waves in the THz band.

Unlike metals, graphene's conductivity can be tuned by applying an electric field, which injects more electron or hole carriers into the material, dynamically adjusting its properties. This tunability makes graphene antennas highly adaptable and capable of operating under various conditions. In comparison to noble metals like gold and silver, graphene has a lower plasma frequency, promoting plasmonic propagation and enabling interesting optical applications. This makes graphene an ideal material for THz antenna design, overcoming the limitations of traditional metallic structures.

High Electron Mobility: Graphene's high electron mobility reduces signal attenuation at THz frequencies.
Tunable Conductivity: Graphene's conductivity can be adjusted via electric fields, optimizing antenna performance.
Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR): Graphene supports SPR, enabling efficient radiation in miniaturized antennas.
Lower Plasma Frequency: Compared to gold and silver, graphene's lower plasma frequency promotes plasmonic propagation.

To understand how graphene promotes surface plasmon polariton (SPP) waves, it's essential to model its conductivity accurately. The surface conductivity of graphene is influenced by both intraband and interband transitions, with the intraband contribution being dominant at lower THz frequencies. This conductivity, described by Kubo's formula, determines how graphene interacts with electromagnetic waves, making it a key factor in antenna design.

The Future of THz Antennas

The exploration of graphene-based patch antennas marks a significant step forward in THz technology. By increasing the substrate thickness, dual-band resonances can be achieved, enhancing antenna performance. This approach not only simplifies the design process but also offers a promising avenue for realizing high-performance antennas for next-generation wireless communication. As research continues, graphene antennas are poised to play a pivotal role in enabling faster data rates, smaller devices, and more efficient wireless systems.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.physe.2017.08.001, Alternate LINK

Title: Analysis Of Single Band And Dual Band Graphene Based Patch Antenna For Terahertz Region

Subject: Condensed Matter Physics

Journal: Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Jemima Nissiyah George, M. Ganesh Madhan

Published: 2017-10-01

Everything You Need To Know

What are the key advantages of using graphene-based antennas over traditional metallic antennas in the terahertz (THz) frequency range?

Graphene-based antennas offer several advantages over traditional metallic antennas in the THz frequency range. Metallic antennas suffer from significant signal attenuation due to low electron mobility and the skin effect. Graphene, however, exhibits high electron mobility, reducing attenuation and enhancing efficiency. Furthermore, the conductivity of Graphene can be tuned via electric fields, optimizing antenna performance. Graphene also supports Surface Plasmon Resonances (SPR), enabling efficient radiation in miniaturized antennas, and has a lower plasma frequency compared to metals like gold and silver, promoting plasmonic propagation.

How does graphene's unique properties, such as Surface Plasmon Resonances (SPR), contribute to the miniaturization of antennas for THz applications?

Graphene's ability to support Surface Plasmon Resonances (SPR) is crucial for miniaturizing antennas for THz applications. SPR allows graphene-based antennas to be designed with dimensions of just a few micrometers, which is significantly smaller than what is achievable with traditional metallic antennas at these frequencies. This is because SPR enables the confinement of electromagnetic waves to the surface of the graphene, allowing for efficient radiation in the THz band from a much smaller footprint. This miniaturization is essential for integrating antennas into compact wireless devices.

Why is the tunability of graphene's conductivity an important feature for THz antenna design, and how is this achieved?

The tunability of graphene's conductivity is important because it allows for dynamic adjustment of the antenna's performance under various conditions. By applying an electric field, more electron or hole carriers can be injected into the material, thus modifying its conductivity. This tunability enables the antenna to operate efficiently across a range of frequencies and environmental factors. This makes graphene antennas highly adaptable, enhancing their ability to handle the demands of next-generation wireless communication.

What is the significance of Kubo's formula in the context of graphene-based THz antenna design, and what does it explain?

Kubo's formula is essential in understanding how graphene interacts with electromagnetic waves, specifically determining the surface conductivity of graphene. This conductivity is influenced by both intraband and interband transitions, with the intraband contribution being dominant at lower THz frequencies. By accurately modeling the conductivity using Kubo's formula, engineers can design antennas that efficiently promote Surface Plasmon Polariton (SPP) waves, which is a key aspect of graphene-based THz antenna performance. It provides a detailed understanding of graphene's interaction with electromagnetic radiation.

How can the substrate thickness influence the performance of graphene-based patch antennas, and what are the implications of dual-band resonances?

Increasing the substrate thickness in graphene-based patch antennas can lead to the achievement of dual-band resonances, enhancing antenna performance. This approach simplifies the design process and offers a promising avenue for realizing high-performance antennas for next-generation wireless communication. Dual-band resonances allow the antenna to operate efficiently at two different frequency bands, potentially doubling the data transmission capacity or enabling simultaneous operation with different wireless standards. This is crucial for supporting the increasing demand for faster data rates and more versatile wireless systems.