title: Reversibly Stretchable, Optically Transparent Radio-Frequency Antennas Based on Wavy Ag Nanowire Networks.
abstract: We report a facile approach for producing reversibly stretchable, optically transparent radio-frequency antennas based on wavy Ag nanowire (NW) networks. The wavy configuration of Ag NWs is obtained by floating the NW networks on the surface of water, followed by compression. Stretchable antennas are prepared by transferring the compressed NW networks onto elastomeric substrates. The resulting antennas show excellent performance under mechanical deformation due to the wavy configuration, which allows the release of stress applied to the NWs and an increase in the contact area between NWs. The antennas formed from the wavy NW networks exhibit a smaller return loss and a higher radiation efficiency when strained than the antennas formed from the straight NW networks, as well as an improved stability in cyclic deformation tests. Moreover, the wavy NW antennas require a relatively small quantity of NWs, which leads to low production costs and provides an optical transparency. These results demonstrate the potential of these wavy Ag NW antennas in applications of wireless communications for wearable systems.
authors.affiliation: Photo-Electronic Hybrids Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.|Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chung-Ang University , Seoul 156-756, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byoung Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Photo-Electronic Hybrids Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Keun-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Photo-Electronic Hybrids Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Beom
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Pyo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chung-Ang University , Seoul 156-756, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jonghwi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Photo-Electronic Hybrids Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Gon
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Photo-Electronic Hybrids Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.|KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University , Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Photo-Electronic Hybrids Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Hyuk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: radio-frequency antenna; silver nanowire network; stretchable transparent antenna; wavy configuration; wearable antenna