5GHz Fabricated Antenna
A paper by Mahmoud N. Mahmoud presents an innovative solution for small satellite antennas by integrating slot antennas and solar cells on the same panel to save small satellite surface real estate and to replace deployed wire antennas for certain operational frequencies.
The two main advantages of the proposed antenna are:
1) the antenna does not require an expensive deployment mechanism that is required by dipole antennas;
2) the antenna does not occupy as much valuable surface real estate as patch antennas.
The antenna design is based on using the spacing between the solar cells to etch slots in these spaces to create radiating elements for 2.4 or 5 GHz.
Read the paper at http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1738&context=etd