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Microstrip antennas on 3D-printed magneto-dielectric substrates: fabrication and efficiency study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 February 2023

Constantine Kakoyiannis Open the ORCID record for Constantine Kakoyiannis [Opens in a new window] ,
Jakub Sorocki Open the ORCID record for Jakub Sorocki [Opens in a new window] ,
Ilona Piekarz  and
Matthias Geissler
Constantine Kakoyiannis*
Affiliation:
Department of Antennas & EM Modeling, IMST GmbH, Carl-Friedrich-Gauss-Str. 2, 47475 Kamp-Lintfort, Germany
Jakub Sorocki
Affiliation:
Institute of Electronics, AGH University of Science & Technology, 30 A. Mickiewicza Av., 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Ilona Piekarz
Affiliation:
Institute of Electronics, AGH University of Science & Technology, 30 A. Mickiewicza Av., 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Matthias Geissler
Affiliation:
Department of Antennas & EM Modeling, IMST GmbH, Carl-Friedrich-Gauss-Str. 2, 47475 Kamp-Lintfort, Germany
*
Author for correspondence: Constantine Kakoyiannis, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Magneto-dielectric antennas (MDAs) provide small sizes, enhanced bandwidths, and frequency/polarization agility. We describe the fabrication and efficiency characterization at 0.4–0.8 GHz of five microstrip MDAs, whose gradually thicker substrates were 3D-printed using an off-the-shelf polylactic acid (PLA) filament doped with ferromagnetic particles. It was experimentally discovered that efficiency increases monotonically from 12% (−9.2 dB) to 37% (−4.3 dB) as substrate thickness goes from 1.6 to 4.3 mm; the rate is faster than expected for microstrip antennas. Numerical analysis indicated that the apparent magnetic loss tangent of the MD substrate experiences a threefold decrease as the 3D printer deposits more layers of iron-doped PLA. The MDAs exhibit radiation quality factors that are 3.7–7.2 times better than the dielectric counterparts. Moreover, a simple optimization of ground plane size could increase efficiency to 55% (−2.6 dB). The reduction in magnetic loss is attributed to a reduction in eddy current loss due to the separation of agglomerate iron particles. Therefore, despite the inherently lossy material used, the potential of 3D-printed MD substrates in providing acceptable antenna efficiencies is demonstrated together with unprecedented design freedom and fabrication flexibility.

Keywords

Antenna design, modelling & measurementsmicrowave measurementsmagneto-dielectric deviceseddy currentsferromagnetic materialsironloaded antennasmagnetic lossmicrostrip antennasradiation efficiencyUHF antennas
Type
Antenna Design, Modelling and Measurements
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 15 , Special Issue 8: EuCAP 2022 Special Issue , October 2023 , pp. 1412 - 1423
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press in association with the European Microwave Association

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