Laser enhanced direct print additive manufacturing for mm-wave components and packaging

Direct print additive manufacturing (DPAM) is an additive manufacturing technique that combines fused deposition modeling with micro-dispensing. As a multimaterial 3D printing method it has proven to be effective for fabricating printed electronics that operate in the microwave frequency range. This paper discusses the addition of picosecond laser processing to the DPAM process, and the enhancements to high-frequency performance and design capability that are made possible. The use of laser-enhanced DPAM for 3D fabrication of transmission lines, passive components and packaging is discussed.