Wideband Circularly Polarized 3D-Printed Dielectric Rod Antenna with Double-ridged Waveguide Feed

In the last decade, 3D printing technology has demonstrated a number of merits, including time- and labor-saving, capability to fabricate complicated shapes, and diversity of materials choices. These advantages offer potential for rapid prototyping of advanced antenna designs, particularly for designs in the microwave region due to the compatibility between antenna dimensions and the printing resolution of 3D printers. Antennas with circular polarization (CP) have been employed as important components in wireless systems, due to their superiorities of mitigating multi-path fading, avoiding polarization mismatch, and providing flexibility in the orientation of mobile antennas. Meanwhile, wideband end-fire antennas with CP are in high demand in various applications, such as satellite and vehicle communications.