5G networks have changed how billions of people around the world use their mobile devices.
They offer faster downloads, smoother video calls, and more reliable connections. But all that speed comes with a cost: 5G technology uses a lot of energy.
In fact, a single 5G base station can use as much electricity as 73 U.S. households combined. That’s a big challenge for both the environment and the future of wireless networks.
To tackle this problem, researchers at the University of Notre Dame have developed a new kind of 5G antenna that uses less than 10% of the energy current systems require.
Funded by the U.S. Army, this innovative project is led by Jonathan Chisum, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and a member of Notre Dame’s Wireless Institute.
The breakthrough comes from a special material developed in Chisum’s lab—an artificial dielectric made using 3D printing.
This material has a unique internal structure called a gyroid, which helps direct wireless signals in a highly efficient way. Instead of using multiple antennas with power-hungry chips, the new design uses a single wideband antenna that handles all the necessary frequencies.
This approach reduces energy use while keeping performance high.
The antenna is a type of gradient index (GRIN) lens, a concept that’s been around for more than 100 years.
But applying it to 5G networks was considered nearly impossible until Chisum’s lab made key scientific discoveries about how to steer wireless signals over wide frequency bands. Their antenna can now operate across all 5G bands, something no previous single antenna has been able to do.
This new technology is especially valuable for the U.S. Army, which uses 5G not only for secure communications but also for tracking equipment and monitoring soldier health. 5G networks around the world operate at different frequencies, and the Army needs flexible tools that work anywhere.
The new Notre Dame antenna is small, light, and energy-efficient—perfect for mobile use in the field.
The team has already built a working prototype through a detailed, 100-hour process using 3D printing. They are now developing faster, more affordable manufacturing methods. Their goal is to test the antenna in the field and eventually bring it into real-world networks, both military and civilian.
Commercial companies are also interested. Current 5G base stations are expensive to build and maintain, and many operators are slowing down deployment. A cheaper, low-power solution like this could reignite 5G expansion.
Chisum’s team has partnered with companies like Cheshir Industries and Fortify to make that happen. Cheshir Industries, co-founded by Notre Dame graduates, will lead design efforts for the antenna arrays, while Fortify will contribute its advanced 3D printing and RF design expertise.
This new antenna design could lead to a future where 5G is more sustainable, more mobile, and more accessible—on the battlefield and in everyday life.
