3-D Printed Millimeter-Wave Lens Systems at 39 GHz

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.