Application of Direct Metal Laser Sintering to Waveguide-Based Passive Microwave Components, Antennas, and Antenna Arrays

Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), sometimes used interchangeably with the term direct metal sintering (DMS), is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique of synthesizing metallic parts from metal alloy powder. This paper looks at the application of DMLS to waveguide-based passive microwave components, antennas, and antenna arrays. Communication or radar systems use waveguide-based components and antennas to transport and manipulate radio-frequency (RF) power because they are arguably the most efficient. However, they are mostly used only in selected high-performance systems, especially at frequencies at X-band and Ku-band, because they are costly and difficult to fabricate as specialized processes like dip brazing, electron beam welding, and electroforming are needed for making complicated parts. The advent and the maturing of the DMLS technology may revive the fortunes of waveguide-based components and antennas as designs that are previously difficult to fabricate can be now easily handled. Furthermore, as DMLS continues to become more affordable, its versatility means that a microwave or antenna engineer can now leverage on DMLS to design very efficient novel microwave components and antennas that are previously difficult to fabricate or not even practical previously.