3D-Printed E-Band Gradient Dielectric Lens for Automotive and Industrial Applications

As automotive, industrial, and satellite communication sectors trend towards higher frequency bands, the need for high directivity beamforming becomes essential. In this paper, we present the device design and manufacturing process of a high performance, low loss 3D-printed GRIN lens for the E- Band. To validate the technology, a simple Luneburg-style, radially symmetric spherical lens was designed and printed using a DLP 3D printer and low loss polymer dielectric material. The lens was fed by E-band coaxe-to-waveguide transition and the performance was characterized from 60 GHz to 85 GHz.