Radio engineers collaborate to design liquid antennas

The approach aims to meet the demands of the next generation of mobile devices and the opportunities afforded by the Internet of Things.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool are to work with BAE Systems and Huawei to develop liquid antennas that have the potential to transform modern radio communications and radar.

Liquids will be tested for low loss, thermal and mechanical stability, whether they can work in temperatures ranging from -30 to +60°C, if they transmit the correct frequency range and have radio frequency and microwave power range up to 100kW.

The project will also investigate how to design and make compact and efficient liquid antennas that have flexible or reconfigurable parameters, such as operational frequency and radiation pattern, and are suitable for a wide range of real-world applications.

Professor Yi Huang, a radio engineer who is leading the research, said: “This original and transformative approach is able to meet the demands of the next generation of mobile devices, and the opportunities afforded by the Internet of Things.”

The university was awarded £578,000 funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.