3-D Printed Monolithic GRIN Dielectric-Loaded Double-Ridged Horn Antennas

Abstract

Monolithic integration of 3-D printed gradient index (GRIN) dielectric loading with a double-ridged rectangular horn standard gain horn (SGH) and its impact on antenna performance are demonstrated. Results show that the GRIN loaded horns improve sidelobe levels (SLLs) and beam symmetry, while maintaining good impedance match and relatively high radiation efficiency over more than an octave bandwidth from 7.5 to 18 GHz. Moreover, they have low weight and show good robustness to fabrication imperfections. This work paves the way for seamless integration of complex wideband antennas in 3-D printed systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).