Multilayer Additively Manufactured X-Band Electromagnetic Coupling Structure for Detachable Wireless Antenna Feed

As additive manufacturing technologies evolve and allow for easier conformal printing of 3D antennas, functional surfaces are used for both mechanical and electrical functions. E.g., a UAV wing can be used as both a flight surface and an antenna. These conformal antennas tend to have the radiation elements on the outer surfaces of the structures and the feed port on the inner surfaces. Using electric connections between the layers adds points for electric and mechanical failures, as these structures are subject to external forces and temperature cycles. This paper presents the concept of a wireless antenna feed, where a detachable electromagnetic coupling structure is used to feed the outer antenna element from the inner structure surface. Flat wireless feed prototypes with both, commercial microwave laminates and additive manufacturing are designed, manufactured, and tested for the 8–9 GHz band.