Investigation on 3-D-Printing Technologies for Millimeter- Wave and Terahertz Applications

Recent years have seen an influx of applications utilizing 3D printed devices in the terahertz regime. The simplest, and perhaps most versatile, modality allowing this is Fused Deposition Modelling. In this work, a holistic analysis of the terahertz optical, mechanical and printing properties of 17 common and exotic 3D printer filaments used in Fused Deposition Modelling is performed. High impact polystyrene is found to be the best filament, with a useable frequency range of 0.1-1.3 THz, while remaining easily printed. Nylon, polylactic acid and polyvinyl alcohol give the least desirable terahertz response, satisfactory only below 0.5 THz. Interestingly, most modified filaments aimed at increasing mechanical properties and ease of printing do so without compromising the useable terahertz optical window. Abstract Recent years have seen an influx of applications utilizing 3D printed devices in the terahertz regime. The simplest, and perhaps most versatile, modality allowing this is Fused Deposition Modelling. In this work, a holistic analysis of the terahertz optical, mechanical and printing properties of 17 common and exotic 3D printer filaments used in Fused Deposition Modelling is performed. High impact polystyrene is found to be the best filament, with a useable frequency range of 0.1-1.3 THz, while remaining easily printed. Nylon, polylactic acid and polyvinyl alcohol give the least desirable terahertz response, satisfactory only below 0.5 THz. Interestingly, most modified filaments aimed at increasing mechanical properties and ease of printing do so without compromising the useable terahertz optical window.

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“…3D printed THz devices have rapidly developed over recent years [9]. This is especially apparent in passive dielectric devices.…”

Section: Summary Of 3d Printing and Terahertz Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility and Characterization of Common and Exotic Filaments for Use in 3D Printed Terahertz Devices

Squires

Lewis

2018

J Infrared Milli Terahz Waves

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“…Before 2012, the only reported metallic 3D printed mmWave device was an SLM 50 mm waveguide [39]. In 2015, Zhang from Chalmers University of Technology conducted a series of experiments on metallic 3D printed mmWave and THz devices [40]. Firstly, six V-band (50-75 GHz) horn antennas were printed to select the appropriate "material + process + postprocess" for our purpose.…”

Section: Review Of 3d Printed Millimeter-wave and Terahertz Passive Dmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of 3D Printed Millimeter-Wave and Terahertz Passive Devices

Zhang

Chen

et al. 2017

International Journal of Antennas and Propagation

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The 3D printing technology is catching attention nowadays. It has certain advantages over the traditional fabrication processes. We give a chronical review of the 3D printing technology from the time it was invented. This technology has also been used to fabricate millimeter-wave (mmWave) and terahertz (THz) passive devices. Though promising results have been demonstrated, the challenge lies in the fabrication tolerance improvement such as dimensional tolerance and surface roughness. We propose the design methodology of high order device to circumvent the dimensional tolerance and suggest specific modelling of the surface roughness of 3D printed devices. It is believed that, with the improvement of the 3D printing technology and related subjects in material science and mechanical engineering, the 3D printing technology will become mainstream for mmWave and THz passive device fabrication.

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“…2) is about 1.1 which will be used in the analytical calculations. This SR-value along with the particle radius of 10 μm is used in the simulation and calculations of P rough (1). Included in the simulation are also the chamfered corners of the 3D-printed waveguide (see Fig.…”

Section: Measurements and Simulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…ref. [1]) and will not be discussed in this paper. Some of these techniques have been used for fabrication of THz devices with an emphasis on optic components fabricated using, e.g.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

On Surface Losses in Direct Metal Laser Sintering Printed Millimeter and Submillimeter Waveguides

Holmberg

Dancila

Rydberg

et al. 2018

J Infrared Milli Terahz Waves

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Different lengths of WR3 (220-330 GHz) and waveguides are fabricated through direct metal laser sintering (DMLS). The losses in these waveguides are measured and modelled using the Huray surface roughness model. The losses in WR3 are around 0.3 dB/mm and in WR10 0.05 dB/mm. The Huray equation model is accounting relatively good for the attenuation in the WR10 waveguide but deviates more in the WR3 waveguide. The model is compared to finite element simulations of the losses assuming an approximate surface structure similar to the resulting one from the DMLS process.

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Investigation on 3-D-Printing Technologies for Millimeter- Wave and Terahertz Applications

Cited by 165 publications

References 31 publications

Feasibility and Characterization of Common and Exotic Filaments for Use in 3D Printed Terahertz Devices

Feasibility and Characterization of Common and Exotic Filaments for Use in 3D Printed Terahertz Devices

Review of 3D Printed Millimeter-Wave and Terahertz Passive Devices

On Surface Losses in Direct Metal Laser Sintering Printed Millimeter and Submillimeter Waveguides

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