Millimeter-Wave Lightweight 3D-Printed 4x1 Aluminum Array Antenna

In this work, the additive manufacturing technique of Laser Powder-Bed Fusion is evaluated to manufacture metallic-only antennas for single-piece and lightweight prototypes. The proposed technique enables the production of metallic antennas without the need to, first, manufacturing a dielectric structure, and then, the application of a coating procedure. To validate the technique, a horn array antenna operating at the mm-wave frequency range is designed. The prototype is produced in a single piece of aluminum, including the radiating elements and the feeding network. The prototype is matched at 34.5 GHz, showing a good agreement with simulations. The prototype is measured in an anechoic chamber, and measurements show a good agreement with simulations at the frequencies in which the antenna is matched. The results show that Laser Powder-Bed Fusion is a potential alternative to produce metallic-only solutions, reaching single-piece and lightweight prototypes.