Evaluation of micro laser sintering metal 3D-printing technology for the development of waveguide passive devices up to 325 GHz

Victor Fiorese (1, 2) , Cybelle Belem-Gonçalves (1) , Carlos del Rio (3) , Diane Titz (4) , Frédéric Gianesello (1) , Cyril Luxey (4) , Guillaume Ducournau (2, 5) , Emmanuel Dubois (2, 6) , Christophe Gaquière (2, 7) , Daniel Gloria (1)

1 ST-CROLLES - STMicroelectronics [Crolles]
2 IEMN - Institut d’Électronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie - UMR 8520
3 UPNA - Universidad Pública de Navarra [Espagne] = Public University of Navarra
4 Polytech'Lab - Laboratoire de Polytech Nice-Sophia
5 PHOTONIQUE THZ - IEMN - Photonique THz - IEMN
6 MICROELEC SI - IEMN - Microélectronique Silicium - IEMN
7 PUISSANCE - IEMN - Puissance - IEMN

In this paper, we propose an assessment up to 325 GHz of Micro Laser Sintering (MLS) metal 3D-Printing technology in order to achieve lightweight and cost-effective millimeter wave (mmW) passive function. We first designed and manufactured a bended WR5 waveguide in order to assess achievable roughness and insertion loss. In a second step, an existing 240 GHz choke horn antenna design, previously manufactured using metal coated Stereo Lithography Apparatus (SLA) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technologies, has been prototyped using MLS. Measured performances of the MLS antenna prototype have been benchmarked with SLA and DMLS ones. Achieved performances are promising since without any post processing MLS compete up to 325 GHz with metal coated SLA technology while it enables a metallic part manufactured in a single piece.

Mots clés: Laser sintering LS; Waveguide antenna; Millimeter wave technology; mmW; THz; additive manufacturing; 3D-Printing; waveguide; horn antenna

Domaines: Sciences de l'ingénieur [physics]

Victor Fiorese, Cybelle Belem-Gonçalves, Carlos del Rio, Diane Titz, Frédéric Gianesello, et al.. Evaluation of micro laser sintering metal 3D-printing technology for the development of waveguide passive devices up to 325 GHz. IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, IMS 2020, Aug 2020, Los Angeles, United States. pp.1168-1171, ⟨10.1109/IMS30576.2020.9224102⟩. ⟨hal-03091222⟩