3D-printed graded index lens for RF applications

© 2016 IEICE. This paper presents a novel 3D-printed low-cost, light weight, broadband and high gain planar graded index (GRIN) lens. The GRIN lens was designed to transform spherical wavefronts into planar wavefronts which can be used for antenna gain enhancement. Fused deposition modelling 3D-printing was used to fabricate the lens in a single process with bespoke radially varying relative permittivity. Measured results showed that the lens had a realised gain of 16 to 24 dBi over the Ku-band frequency range from 12 to 18 GHz when fed by a conical horn