Projects:2018s1-178 Creating microwave antennas with 3D printing

I. Introduction

By replacing the metallic patch of a microstrip antenna with a high permittivity thin dielectric constant material (DRA), is proposed. This kind type of antenna is widely used in WIFI and other communication areas because of its wide bandwidth and high Q factors. In order to improve the flexibility of production of this antenna, the 3D printer is chosen to be used to produce some parts of this antenna. In addition, in order to achieve high gain, DRA antenna array also will be designed in this project.

II. Project aims and motivations

Typically, DRA antenna requires high permittivity dielectric constant material but the range of 3D printing is only from 2-8.3. Therefore, Designing a kind of DRA to achieve the processing condition of 3D printing and also has the larger bandwidth. Then, the 3D printing are used to print the patch and substrate1. Finally, I need to measure this antenna and compare with the simulation result. As for the performance of the antenna, resonant frequency should be in 4GHz, 4GHZ, broadside rotation, strong main lobe and low side lobe. If time is allowed, DRA will expand to the antenna array and achieve high gain.

III. Literature review

This project is an ideal proven project and thus I find relative references to prove the feasibility of this project. According to reference [2], 3D printing is applicated widely in the production of other type antennas such as dipole because of the combination of printed electronics using conductive nanoparticle ink together with the 3D printing of dielectric material is presented as one integrated process [2]. Sources [2] discuss 3D printing used to print a small V-shape dipole and conclude an agreement between simulation result and the measurement result in radiation pattern and return loss of the antenna. This can prove the accuracy of the printing process and derive the feasibility of this project. According to reference [3], it proves the possibility of metalizing plastic so that the plastic gains some metal characteristics and 3D printed technology to fabricate microwave structures. In addition, the reported result of it is also positive shown that used plastic material does not affect overall performances of 3D printed antennas and this infers the feasibility that new metallize 3D printing material PREMI 3D ABS DK 10.0 can be used to produce antenna. On the other hand, DRA is considered as a new member of the patch antenna family and replace the metallic patch of microstrip antennas with a high permittivity thin dielectric slab [1]. Due to better radiation efficiency at millimetre wave and terahertz frequency [1], it has become one of the popular research areas and is finally chosen as the object of practice in this project.

IV. The process of project

V. The result

VI.References

[1] Hau Wah Lai, Kwai-Man Luk and Kwok Wa Leung,” Dense Dielectric Patch Antenna---- A New Kind of Low-Profile Antenna Element for Wireless Communications”, in the IEEE TRANSCATIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL 61, NO.8, August 2013.

[2] Majid Ahmadloo, and Pedram Mousavi,” A Novel Integrated Dielectric-and-Conductive Ink 3D Printing Technique for Fabrication of Microwave Devices”, in the IEEE 978-1-4673-2141-9/13, 2013.

[3] Karina Vieira Hoel,” Broadband Antenna Design Using Different 3D Printing Technologies and Metallization Processes”, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway,2016.

[4] B. J. Willis, “Compact form fitting small antennas using three-dimensional rapid prototyping”, PhD Dissertation, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah, Utah, 2012.

[5] P. I. Deffenbaugh, “3D printed electromagnetic transmission and electronic structures fabricated on a single platform using advanced process integration techniques”, Master Thesis, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas, El Paso, 2014.

[6] J. Thévenard, D. L. H. Tong, A. Louzir, C. Nicolas, C. Person, J.P. Coupez, “3D multi-sector Vivaldi antennas based on metallized plastic technology”, Antennas and Propagation Society Internal Symposium, 2007.

[7] M. Ahmadloo, P. Mousavi, “Application of novel integrated dielectric and conductive ink 3D printing technique for fabrication of conical spiral antennas”, International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI National Radio Science Meeting 2013.

[8] E. G. Geterud, P. Bergmark, J. Yang, “Lightweight waveguide and antenna components using plating on plastics”, EuCAP 2013.

[9] Constantine A. Balanis (2015),” Antenna theory: analysis and design third edition”, pp814-847.

[10]yujian Li and Kwai-Man Luk,”wideband perforated Dense dielectric Patch Antenna Array for Millimeter-Wave Applications”, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 61, NO. 8, AUGUST 2015.

[11] Laurent Giauffret, Jean-Marc Laheurte, and A. Papiernik,”study of various shape of the coupling slot in CPW-Fed Microstrip Antennas”, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL.45, NO. 4, APRIL 1997.

[12] P.Li, K.M.Luk, and K.L.Lau, “A dual- Feed Dual-Band L-Probe Patch Antnena”, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 53, NO. 7, JULY 2005.

[13] Kwai Man Luk and Hau Wah LAI,” Dense Dielectric Patch Antenna”, 6th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP), 2011.

[14]Osama M.Haraz,” New Dense Dielectric array antenna for 5G short range communications” IEEE, August 2014.

[15] M. Asaadi1 A. Sebak2,” High Gain High Dense Dielectric Patch Antenna with A Holey Superstrate for 5G Applications”, IEEE, 2017.

VII. Members

project team: Danqi Zheng

Supervisor:Withawat Withayachumnankul Christophe Fumeaux