IEEE Access (Jan 2022)

3-D Printed Plug and Play Prototyping for Low-Cost Sub-THz Subsystems

  • Sang-Hee Shin,
  • Roshan Payapulli,
  • Liyan Zhu,
  • Manoj Stanley,
  • Xiaobang Shang,
  • Nick M. Ridler,
  • Stepan Lucyszyn

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3167437
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10
pp. 41708 – 41719

Abstract

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Polymer-based additive manufacturing using 3-D printing for upper-millimeter-wave (ca. 100 to 300 GHz) frequency applications is now emerging. Building on our previous work, with metal-pipe rectangular waveguides and free-space quasi-optical components, this paper brings the two media together at G-band (140 to 220 GHz), by demonstrating a compact multi-channel front-end subsystem. Here, the proof-of-concept demonstrator integrates eight different types of 3-D printed components (30 individual components in total). In addition, the housing for two test platforms and the subsystem are all 3-D printed as single pieces, to support plug and play development; offering effortless component assembly and alignment. We introduce bespoke free-space TRM calibration and measurement schemes with our quasi-optical test platforms. Equal power splitting plays a critical role in our multi-channel application. Here, we introduce a broadband 3-D printed quasi-optical beamsplitter for upper-millimeter-wave applications. Our quantitative and/or qualitative performance evaluations for individual components and the complete integrated subsystem, demonstrate the potential for using consumer-level desktop 3-D printing technologies at such high frequencies. This work opens-up new opportunities for low-cost, rapid prototyping and small-batch production of complete millimeter-wave front-end subsystems.

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