Authors Henry Giddens and Yang Hao seek expanded and improved ways to manufacture antennas, releasing the findings of their study in the recently published ‘ Multi-Beam Graded Dielectric Lens Antenna from Multi-Material 3D Printing .’

 .

With important applications like mobile networks relying on powerful, directive antennas, there is ongoing interest in refining them further, broadening the potential for performance. In this study, the authors 3D printed a new lens with multiple materials.

 .

Able to function omnidirectionally, their final lens radiated with a gain of 8.5 dBi during the excitement of a single sector, and with a maximum gain of 5.9 dBi in multi-beam mode. The authors point out that while ceramic composites have been used to create graded-index (GRIN) materials, that method is not always considered suitable for prototyping purposes. The use of effective-medium theory, adding sub-wavelength airgap intrusions, has also been used with better luck; however, as 3D […]

Click here to view original web page at 3dprint.com