Gradient-index mm-Wave/Terahertz Components via Polymer-jetting Rapid Prototyping

“该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助的。”这项研究的目标是开发一种在毫米波和太赫兹频段生产复杂梯度折射率电磁元件的制造技术。该方法是修改现有的快速成型硬件和制造聚合物，以产生一个能够通过有效介质方法产生任意3D折射率分布的系统。能够在这些光谱波段产生这样的轮廓将使新的组件设计具有显著的优雅和实用。智力优势：这项研究探索了如何将有效的介质方法与快速成型技术相结合来制造梯度折射率电磁结构。该项目还将开发新的原型材料、设计策略和梯度折射率组件。这一努力将有助于对这些结构的理解和工程设计，并为这些组件、设计策略和制造方法提供新的思维方式。此外，它还将为进一步研究在这些频段制造更复杂的电磁组件奠定基础。广泛影响：毫米波和太赫兹频段3D组件实用制造方法的开发将影响到科学和工程领域的许多应用-包括医学成像、安全筛查、天文学、制造和过程控制，以及许多通信和雷达应用。这项研究的结果将被纳入一系列外展活动，包括传统学术课程、学术界和工业界研讨会、面向本科生的多学科设计项目，以及为来自不同背景的高危学生举办的丰富活动。

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."The objective of this research is to develop a fabrication technique for producing complicated gradient-index electromagnetic components in the millimeter-wave and terahertz spectral bands. The approach is to modify existing rapid-prototyping hardware and fabrication polymers to yield a system capable of producing arbitrary 3D index profiles via an effective-medium approach. The ability to produce such profiles in these spectral bands will enable new component designs of significant elegance and utility. Intellectual Merit: This research explores how effective-medium approaches can be combined with rapid-prototyping to fabricate gradient-index electromagnetic structures. Novel prototyping materials, design strategies, and gradient-index components will also be developed in this project. This effort will contribute to the understanding and engineering of these structures and provide new ways of thinking about these components, design strategies, and fabrication methods. In addition, it will lay the groundwork for further research into fabrication of more complicated electromagnetic components in these spectral bands.Broader Impact: The development of a practical fabrication method for 3D components in the millimeter-wave and terahertz bands will impact many applications across the sciences and engineering---including medical imaging, security screening, astronomy, manufacturing and process control, as well as a host of communications and radar applications. The results from this research will be incorporated in a number of outreach activities including traditional academic courses, seminars for the academic and industrial communities, multidisciplinary design projects for undergraduates, and enrichment activities for at-risk students from diverse backgrounds.