Design and Characterization of 60-GHz Integrated Lens Antennas Fabricated Through Ceramic Stereolithography

Abstract

Three integrated lens antennas made in Alumina and built through ceramic stereolithography are designed, fabricated and characterized experimentally in the 60-GHz band. Linear corrugations are integrated on the lens surface to reduce the effects of multiple internal reflections and improve the antenna performance. The lenses are excited by Alumina-filled WR-15 waveguides with an optimized dielectric impedance matching taper in E-plane. The main characteristics of the first two prototypes with corrugations of variable size are compared to those of a smooth lens without corrugation (third prototype). Experimentally their reflection coefficient is smaller than -10 dB between 55 GHz and 65 GHz, and their radiation characteristics (main beam, side lobe level, cross-polarization level) are very stable versus frequency. In particular, at the center frequency (60 GHz), the total antenna loss (including feed loss) is smaller than 0.9 dB and the radiation efficiency exceeds 80%.