Design and implementation of a 9.4 dBi gain patch antenna with additively manufactured dielectric lens

Abstract

In this paper, an additively manufactured dielectric RF lens is presented for increasing the gain of a patch antenna. A hemispherical shape is selected for an easy integration with a planar antenna, allowing it to keep a low profile while having a narrower beamwidth. The advantageous 3D printing technique is used to fabricate the dielectric lens for its ease. The fabricated dielectric lens is inherently wideband from 4 GHz to 10 GHz, which makes it an ideal choice for C-band operations. The designed dielectric lens can be used with any directive radiator, for example, a waveguide or horn antenna.