Disruptive C-band Corrugated Horn Antenna in Additive Manufacturing

The space telecommunication market is an increasingly competitive market and new innovative products should continually be developed. This paper summarises the work undertook in order to design, manufacture and test a compact and lightweight corrugated horn compatible with additive manufacturing processes. Our study is driven by the trade-off between reducing the size of the horn and keeping the main performances of the conventional corrugated horns, especially for their low cross polarization requirements. A design that combines axial and radial corrugations was chosen as the best solution. Firstly, a C-band corrugated horn with this new profile has been designed, Secondly a method has been put in place in order to adapt the profile of the corrugated horn to additive manufacturing. The horn has been optimized with the new profile and was 3D printed in aluminum in one single piece . The horn’s length was reduced by 35 per cent and RF measurements shown the compliance with the requirements. This new product is very attractive for space applications.