Low-cost, single platform, hybrid manufacturing of RF passives

Abstract

The research provided in this thesis focuses on the development of a low-cost, single-platform hybrid manufacturing process for realizing canonical and wideband antenna structures. This work outlines the printing processes of thick dielectrics & thin metallic geometries in coordination with selective removal of planar copper structures and provides a proof-of-concept demonstration of the first hybrid manufactured RF structures. Using the outlined processes, demonstrations of a 6 GHz inset patch feed antenna and a wideband Vivaldi array are presented as a first of their kind approach to realizing RF passive radiators.