ABSTRACT
In modern sensor and communication systems, there is an increasing demand for the monolithic integration of the antennas with the radiofrequency to avoid external transmission line connections or sophisticated packaging, thus reducing manufacturing cost and improving system performances. Microstrip antennas are used in a broad range of applications from communication systems to biomedical systems, primarily due to their simplicity, conformability, and low manufacturing cost. Several methods have been used to overcome performance problem, including drilling a well-designed cavity underneath the antenna, and etching few holes underneath the antenna to disturb the formation of substrate modes. This chapter focuses on two categories of micromachined antennas, that is, micromachined cavity and micromachined holes' perforation, and their design methodologies. Micromachining of silicon is a process where the semiconductor substrate is mechanically altered, either by removing parts of the substrate or by adding layers and structures to the top of the wafer. The chapter introduces the development of surface micro-machined monopoles for W-Band applications.
