This paper presents a comprehensive investigation on the transparent microstrip patch antenna based on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO). High quality FTO films have been deposited by spray pyrolysis technique and opto-electrical properties of the films were measured. Deposited films show 6.7–8.4 Ω/□ surface resistance and ~85% optical transparency. Substrate thickness effect on transparent conductor losses and theoretical transparency analysis using Drude model and thin film transfer matrix (TTM) method has been performed. Microstrip antennas with transparent patch/transparent ground plane, and copper patch/copper ground plane (as reference) for 5 GHz resonance frequency were fabricated, analyzed, and compared. The fabricated microstrip antenna with both transparent patch and ground plane shows 1.72 dBi gain at 5 GHz.

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