Additive-Manufactured, Highly-Conductive Metasurfaces, With Application Enabling Secondary Properties, for Microwave Waveguide Components

Abstract

A novel design and fabrication technique for complex microwave waveguide components has been developed. Open cellular structures, characterized by effective medium theory, are used as a replacement for conventional highly-conductive materials. The fabrication is enabled by advancements in additive manufacturing and metal deposition techniques. Components that can be fabricated by vat polymerization followed by electroless deposition of copper, are specifically addressed. The open cellular structure allows fluid penetration to the internal surfaces, allowing for more uniform deposition of metal throughout the part. This makes it feasible to fabricate electrically conductive, complex, multi-function, monolithic parts, something which has proven to be difficult with conventional fabrication techniques, even with recent developments in additive manufacturing. Effective conductivity values are reported for cellular structures that can be practically fabricated. The characterization as a meta surface, not only allows for the easy adoption into existing design work flows, but also enables the exploration of new designs, since the properties of the material can be easily manipulated by changing the fine details of the cellular mesh. Because of the extra degrees of freedom offered in the new process, it is possible to improve performance of secondary properties such as: size, weight, and thermal management characteristics.

Keywords

• Additive manufacturing
• attenuation
• cellular-structure
• conductivity
• effective-medium
• insertion loss