LC Antenna Market

LC smart antennas are based on reconfigurable liquid crystals with optimized microwave properties, as well as specific LC panel design using special metal electrodes. The design can be based on different antenna concepts such as a phased-array, tunable meta surface, or reflect-array antenna. With existing display-line infrastructure, LC smart antenna technology promises a reliable cost- and energy-efficient solution for electronic beam-steering antennas used for satellite and terrestrial communication (5G). These antennas ensures connectivity everywhere, even in remote areas where fast internet connections are unavailable.

The global LC antenna market size is expected to grow from USD XX million in 2022 to USD XX million by 2027, at a CAGR of XX%. Growing cellular applications for connected vehicles, increasing adoption of smart antennas in IoT devices, and development of 5G are the key factors boosting the growth of the market. They are primarily used in consumer electronics, automotive & transportation, aerospace & defense, and industrial applications.

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Drivers: Increasing adoption of smart antennas in IoT devices

The IoT ecosystem is growing at a fast rate owing to the availability of various smart products for domestic and industrial applications. The application areas of IoT include smalt homes, smart grids, industrial internet, and connected cars, aerospace & defense, among many others. As the IoT modules used in various applications are becoming compact, the demand for incorporating more than one wireless technology in IoT devices is increasing LC antennas are small, which makes them the best option for low-frequency applications for the smaller design of IoT solutions. This has resulted in the high demand for LC antennas from various IoT applications. The anticipated growth in IoT devices and connections would create the need for the rapid development of compact, reliable, and low-cost devices. In many instances, using conventional external monopole or dipole antennas is not an option, as wearables, trackers, and many other applications cannot be equipped with external antennas. Hence, the demand for LC smart antennas is expected to grow in the coming years.

Challenges: Variable performance efficiency and limited range of LC antenna

High pelformance, small size, and low cost are common requirements for many wireless applications. LC antenna mounting positon on the PCB, the antenna's position relative to adjacent components and ground planes can all affect a LC antenna's pelformance. To get the optimum performance from a LC antenna, the various layout parameters need to be considered, such as placement in a corner, with ground planes on two sides. The orientation of LC antenna should be in such a way that it is perpendicular to ground plane. The pelformance of a LC antenna also changes as its placement distance varies from the ground plane as recommended in the data sheet. Along with this LC antennas have a limited frequency range as compared to other conventional antenna used in wireless applications

Key players in the market

Merck KGaA (Germany), ALCAN Systems (Germany), Truly Semiconductors (Hong Kong), Kymeta Corporation (US), BOE Technology (China), and NexTenna (Canada) are few key players in the LC antenna market globally.

Recent Developments

• In March 2022, ALCAN Systems and AGC Inc. a world leading manufacturer of glass, chemicals and high-tech materials announces the successful development of transparent antennas for indoor mmWave Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). The test results showed a real-world, effective solution to address the challenges of in-building penetration for mmWave 5G.
• September 2021, Merck showcase its liquid crystal based technology licriOn smart antenna technology at SATELLITE 2021 exhibition.
• In December 2020, ALCAN Systems announced the successful demonstration of satellite-based internet connectivity with its liquid crystal-based phased array antenna.