3D multi-layer additive manufacturing of a 2.45 GHz RF front end

Digital additive manufacturing (AM) is emerging as a promising technology for next-generation RF systems. AM processes that combine multiple materials in a single build and can produce volumetric designs are especially interesting for 3D structural electronics. This paper reports on 3D AM fabricated components for a 2.45 GHz RF front end, specifically a circularly-polarized dipole antenna, a miniaturized capacitive-loaded open-loop resonator filter and a switched-line phase shifter. The printing process integrates fused deposition of thermoplastic substrates with micro-dispensing for deposition of conductive traces. These initial results demonstrate the strong potential for fully-printed RF front ends for light weight, low cost, conformal and readily customized applications.