Expanded Metal Foil for Antenna Ground Planes

Advanced Battery Technology, Nov 2003

Exmet MicroGrid® precision-expanded metal foils from Dexmet (shown on page 1) meet precise design requirements for superior conductivity, shielding, and heat transfer properties in a wide variety of applications. They are particularly suited as ground planes for WiFi (802.11a, b, and g) antennas and can be incorporated directly into ceiling tiles and wall panels. Dexmet expanded metal foil can also be anodized, plated, painted, plastic coated, laminated, bent, formed, and punched. Resins flow through the grid openings and into mesh pockets created by the manufacturing process.

Precise levels of conductivity or shielding are produced by varying the configuration of the mesh. The number and size of openings in MicroGrid is exactly controlled within a range of from 1 opening per square inch to over 9,000. Mesh sizes range from 1 inch to .02 inch, while open area varies from as low as 10% to as great as 95%. Weight is as low as 0.0035 pounds per square foot.

For information, contact Dexmet Corporation in Branford, phone: (203) 481-4277; or Naugatuck, phone: (203) 723-1514, www.dexmet.com.