학술논문

3-D Printed Millimeter-Wave Lens Systems at 39 GHz
Document Type
Periodical
Source
IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett. Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE. 28(6):464-466 Jun, 2018
Subject
Fields, Waves and Electromagnetics
Communication, Networking and Broadcast Technologies
Signal Processing and Analysis
Lenses
Printing
Millimeter wave technology
Gain
Optical waveguides
Cavity resonators
3-D printing
free space
lens
millimeter wave
quasi-optical (Q-O)
Language
ISSN
1531-1309
1558-1764
Abstract
This letter explores the potential of 3-D printing technologies for the development of free-space quasi-optical components operating at 39 GHz. Within this study, the design process, simulation, fabrication, and testing of the lens systems will be detailed and explored. The two highest gain lens systems produced from this study are the subjects of primary interest. The first lens system produced is unique in that the lenses are prealigned using a printed support structure, and the entire system is printed as a single unit. Meanwhile, the second system to be printed is unique in that it uses a separate cavity and individually printed lenses to allow for in-test experimentation and improved resolution of the printed lenses. The single print biconvex lens system achieved a gain of 12.9 dB, while the second lens system achieved a gain of 18.6 dB, with both results matching the simulation results to within 2 dB. This corroboration between results and simulation stands as an excellent justification for future progression to higher frequency systems.