Computational microwave imaging using 3D printed conductive polymer frequency‐diverse metasurface antennas

Abstract

A frequency-diverse computational imaging system synthesised using three-dimensional (3D) printed frequency-diverse metasurface antennas is demonstrated. The 3D fabrication of the antennas is achieved using a combination of polylactic acid (PLA) polymer material and conductive polymer material (Electrifi), circumventing the requirement for expensive and time-consuming conventional fabrication techniques, such as machine milling, photolithography, and laser-etching. Using the 3D printed frequency-diverse metasurface antennas, a composite aperture is designed and simulated for imaging in the K-band frequency regime (17.5-26.5 GHz). The frequency-diverse system is capable of imaging by means of a simple frequency-sweep in an all-electronic manner, avoiding mechanical scanning and active circuit components. Using the synthesised system, microwave imaging of objects is achieved at the diffraction limit. It is also demonstrated that the conductivity of the Electrifi polymer material significantly affects the performance of the 3D printed antennas and therefore is a critical factor governing the fidelity of the reconstructed images.