Millimeter-Wave Ridged Horn Performance in Lieu of Stereolithography Required Modifications

Impact of release holes on the phase center stability and 10 dB beamwidth of wideband millimeter wave (36-90GHz) horns is studied. Shape and size of the holes are studied in the context of material release that enhances quality of additive manufacturing and enables more uniform plating. Results show that using elliptical shaped holes in general allow for lower phase center deviation and less pattern distortion. Identifying these deviations in the horn characteristics allows for future study of the mechanisms causing them as well as potential solutions for enabling 3D-printing of millimeter-wave horn antennas.