Additive Manufacturing of Coplanar Transmission Lines on Alumina Substrate up to 24 GHz using Laser Assisted Selective Metallization

This work proposes a novel approach for fabrication of high precision radio frequency circuits on low loss ceramic substrates by an additive manufacturing laser assisted selective metalization process. Coplanar waveguides are realized and measured with a GSG probe setup revealing an attenuation coefficient of approximately 110dB/m at 24 GHz, hence suggesting feasibility of the proposed approach. The simplicity of the process makes it an auspicious candidate for development of future communication and sensor applications due to the combination of high performance substrates and simple fabrication technique, while the required precision for mmWave range and above may be achieved by improving the optical laser system and metal plating.