Graphene Antennas: Can Integration and Reconfigurability Compensate for the Loss?

In this opening presentation we will first recall the main characteristics of graphene conductivity and electromagnetic wave propagation on graphene-based structures. Based on these observations and different graphene antenna simulations from microwave to Terahertz, we will discuss the issue of antenna efficiency, integration and reconfigurability, as function of the operation frequency range. While the applicability of graphene for antennas at microwave appears limited to particular cases where very low efficiency can be tolerated for integration or transparency purpose, the plasmonic nature of graphene conductivity at terahertz frequency allows unprecedented antenna properties and in particular efficient dynamic reconfiguration.