Review on trends and recent development on Yagi-Uda antenna designs for 5G communication applications

Abstract

The Yagi-Uda antenna, renowned for its exceptional performance in radio communications and TV reception since its inception, continues to be a subject of enhancement by researchers aiming to refine its design for modern communication needs. This review examines various innovations tailored to fulfill the evolving demands of the burgeoning 5G network. By integrating multiple driven elements, expansive feeding networks, and comprehensive impedance matching techniques, a single antenna can now accommodate numerous 5G frequency bands. Efforts to miniaturize the antenna's design, crucial for maintaining performance while reducing size, include the stacking of element layers and the adoption of flexible or planar configurations. Additionally, the antenna's coverage is further optimized for 5G mobile communication through the implementation of dynamic beam steering, which employs phased arrays, Rotman lenses, and adaptive machine learning algorithms. The incorporation of active elements that allow for dynamic signal characteristic control also contributes to the enhanced performance of the Yagi antenna. Finally, the exploration of various array configurations, such as bi-Yagi and quad-Yagi, offers improvements in gain, directivity, and compatibility with 5G applications.