Metamaterial-based Luneburg Lens for RF Applications Using Additive Manufacturing

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26636/jtit.2024.4.1786

Keywords:

3D printing, ABS plastic, Luneburg lens, metamaterial

Abstract

This article takes a detailed look at modeling, simulating, calculating, and fabricating a Luneburg lens using a single material and advanced 3D printing technology. The Luneburg lens is a type of gradient index lens that is spherically symmetrical, which simplifyies its manufacturing process and enhances its structural stability. However, fabrication may be expensive due to the special materials required for manufacturing. Discovering simpler and cost-effective production methods would enable the wider use of Luneburg lenses across various fields. The objective of this study was to use the lens to increase the gain and directivity of antennas at 5.8 GHz while maintaining a compact lens size and using low-cost material, such as ABS-like filament. A single-cell cross-shaped structure was utilized to construct the lens using 3D printing technology.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] R.K. Luneburg, Mathematical Theory of Optics, University of California Press, 448 p., 1964.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520328266

[2] J.E. Gómez-Correa et al., "Generalization of Ray Tracing in Symmetric Gradient-index Media by Fermat’s Ray Invariants", Optics Express, vol. 29, no. 21, pp. 33009-33026, 2021.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.440410

[3] N. Korotkov and Y.E. Mitelman, "Simulation of Spherical Luneburg Lens Using Numerical Electrodynamic Methods", Proceedings of Information Technologies, Telecommunications and Control Systems, 2017 (https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2035/paper13.pdf).
View in Google Scholar

[4] Q. Cheng, M. Naeem, and Y. Hao, "Composite Luneburg Lens Based on Dielectric or Plasmonic Scatterers", Optics Express, vol. 27, no. 8, pp. 10946-10960, 2019.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.27.010946

[5] Y. Xie et al., "Acoustic Imaging with Metamaterial Luneburg Lenses", Scientific Reports, vol. 8, art. no. 16188, 2018.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-34581-7

[6] L. Zhao, T. Horiuchi, and M. Yu, "Directional Acoustic Luneburg Lens Waveguide", ArXiv, 2022.
View in Google Scholar

[7] L. Zhao, T. Horiuchi, and M. Yu, "Broadband Acoustic Collimation and Focusing Using Reduced Aberration Acoustic Luneburg Lens", Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 130, no. 21, art. no. 214901, 2021.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0064571

[8] L. Zhao et al., "A Review of Acoustic Luneburg Lens: Physics and Applications", Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, vol. 199, art. no. 110468, 2023.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymssp.2023.110468

[9] A. Di Falco, S.C. Kehr, and U. Leonhardt, "Luneburg Lens in Silicon Photonics", Optics Express, vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 5156-5162, 2011.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.005156

[10] C.E. Garcia-Ortiz et al., "Plasmonic Metasurface Luneburg Lens", Photonics Research, vol. 7, no. 10, pp. 1112-1118, 2019.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/PRJ.7.001112

[11] T. Driscoll et al., "Performance of a Three Dimensional Transformation-optical-flattened Luneburg Lens", Optics Express, vol. 20, no. 12, pp. 13262-13273, 2012.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.20.013262

[12] W. Dong, Y. Lai, and Jin Hu, "Detecting Spatial Chirp Signals by Luneburg Lens Based Transformation Medium", Optics Express, vol. 30, no. 6, pp. 9773-9789, 2022.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.453937

[13] A. Demetriadou and Y. Hao, "Slim Luneburg Lens for Antenna Applications", Optics Express, vol. 19, no. 21, pp. 19925-19934, 2011.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.019925

[14] H. Saghlatoon, M.M. Honari, S. Aslanzadeh, and R. Mirzavand, "Electrically-small Luneburg Lens for Antenna Gain Enhancement Using New 3D Printing Filling Technique", AEU - International Journal of Electronics and Communications, vol. 124, art. no. 153352, 2020.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeue.2020.153352

[15] Tech-Lightenment, "The Future Satellite Antenna-Luneburg Lens Antenna", (https://tech-lightenment.blogspot.com).
View in Google Scholar

[16] H.-T. Chou et al., "Optimization of Three-Dimensional Multi-Shell Dielectric Lens Antennas to Radiate Multiple Shaped Beams for Cellular Radio Coverage", IEEE Access, vol. 7, pp. 182974-182982, 2019.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2959277

[17] B. Ahn et al., "Wide-angle Scanning Phased Array Antenna Using High Gain Pattern Reconfigurable Antenna Elements", Scientific Reports, vol. 9, art. no. 18391, 2019.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54120-2

[18] Fortify, "Low Loss Dielectric 3D Printing", (https://3dfortify.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RF-One-Pager_RevF.pdf).
View in Google Scholar

[19] Fortify, "3D Printed Dielectric Lenses Increase Antenna Gain and Widen Beam Scanning Angle", (https://3dfortify.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Fortify_3D-Printed-Dielectric-Lenses-White-Paper_RevB.pdf).
View in Google Scholar

[20] University of Cambridge, "Derivation of the Rule of Mixtures and Inverse Rule of Mixtures", (https://www.doitpoms.ac.uk/tlplib/bones/derivation_mixture_rules.php).
View in Google Scholar

[21] University of Cambridge, "Stiffness of Long Fibre Composites", (https://www.doitpoms.ac.uk/tlplib/fibre_composites/stiffness.php).
View in Google Scholar

[22] A. Al Takach et al., "Two-line Technique for Dielectric Material Characterization with Application in 3D-printing Filament Electrical Parameters Extraction", Progress In Electromagnetics Research M, vol. 85, pp. 195-207, 2019.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.2528/PIERM19071702

[23] N. Reyns et al., "Complex Dielectric Permittivity of Engineering and 3D-printing Polymers at Q-band", Journal of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, vol. 39, no. 11, pp. 1140-1147, 2018.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10762-018-0528-9

[24] B. Behzadnezhad, B.D. Collick, N. Behdad, and A.B. McMillan, "Dielectric Properties of 3D-printed Materials for Anatomy Specific 3D-printed MRI Coils", Journal of Magnetic Resonance, vol. 289, pp. 113-121, 2018.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmr.2018.02.013

[25] T. Hayat, M.U. Afzal, A. Lalbakhsh, and K.P. Esselle, "Additively Manufactured Perforated Superstrate to Improve Directive Radiation Characteristics of Electromagnetic Source", IEEE Access, vol. 7, pp. 153445-153452, 2019.
View in Google Scholar DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2948735

Cover page 4/2024

Downloads

Published

2024-12-31

Issue

No. 4 (2024)

Section

ARTICLES FROM THIS ISSUE

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Emma Sadoyan, Mark Mnatsakanyan, Suren Eyramjyan

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

[1]
E. Sadoyan, M. Mnatsakanyan, and S. Eyramjyan, “Metamaterial-based Luneburg Lens for RF Applications Using Additive Manufacturing”, JTIT, vol. 98, no. 4, pp. 51–55, Dec. 2024, doi: 10.26636/jtit.2024.4.1786.