3D Printed Antennas and Waveguides

Abstract

As the new techniques appear rapidly, the diversity of applications of the techniques comes out very fast. The flexibility of 3D printing allows us to construct new structures that cannot be conceived before. It facilitates fast prototyping of new designs across a wide spectrum of applications, reducing product weight, material and cost. 3D printing comes in different forms with different materials such as polymers, ceramics and metals. Each type of printer carries a different price tag. All metal 3D printers are much more expensive than the polymer ones. In this project, we aim at constructing antennas and waveguides operating at 60 GHz by using the 3D printer in the State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves. Conventional antennas and waveguides considered in this project are made with metal with high conductivity such as copper. The millimeter wave devices are first designed using commercially available software, HFSS. Through simulations, we ensure that the devices are properly designed. As the devices are printed with polymer, metallization of the printed structures is required. In this project, we investigate different metallization processes and their electrical performances are characterized. Antennas and waveguides are covered in our EE curriculum but the project provides us in-depth understanding of their working mechanisms through first-hand experience in design, simulation, fabrication and testing of these devices operating at 60 GHz. This is a new challenge for me going into this totally new frequency world.