Metalized Poly-methacrylate Off-Axis Parabolic Mirrors for Terahertz Imaging Fabricated by Additive Manufacturing

Fullager, Daniel B.; Park, Serang; Hovis, Clark; Li, Yanzeng; Reese, Jesse; Sharma, E. Ambrish; Lee, Susanne; Evans, Christopher J.; Boreman, Glenn D.; Hofmann, Tino

doi:10.1007/s10762-019-0568-9

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The measured beam profiles are comparable to their commercial counterpart. In 2019, Fullager et al demonstrated a mirror similar to that previous demonstrated [6], but manufactured with a low-cost desktop SLA 3-D printer and tested at 530 GHz [16]. The measured beam profiles, determined using a THz camera (with sufficiently high source power and greater camera resolution), are comparable to their commercial counterpart.…”

Section: B Parabolic Mirrorsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Polymer-Based 3-D Printed 140-220 GHz Low-Cost Quasi-Optical Components and Integrated Subsystem Assembly

et al. 2021

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Few examples of individual polymer-based 3-D printed quasi-optical component types have been previously demonstrated above ca. 100 GHz. This paper presents the characterization of polymer-based 3-D printed components and complete subsystems for quasi-optical applications operating at G-band (140 to 220 GHz). Two low-cost consumer-level 3-D printing technologies (vat polymerization and fused deposition modeling) are employed, normally associated with microwave frequencies and longer wavelength applications. Here, five different quasi-optical component types are investigated; rectangular horn antennas, 90º off-axis parabolic mirrors, radiation absorbent material (RAM), grid polarizers and dielectric lenses. As an alternative to conventional electroplating, gold-leaf gilding is used for the polarizer. A detailed investigation is undertaken to compare the performance of our 3-D printed antennas, mirrors and RAM with their commercial equivalents. In addition, a fully 3-D printed, RAM-lined housing with central two-axis rotational platform is constructed for performing two-port measurements of a quasi-optical horn-mirrorpolarizer-mirror-horn subsystem. Measured results generally show excellent performances, although the grid polarizer is limited by the minimum strip width, separation distance and metallization thickness. The ultralow cost, 'plug and play' housing is designed to give a fast measurement setup, while minimizing misaligning losses. Its RAM lining is designed to suppress reflections due to diffraction from components under test that may cause adverse multi-path interference. Our work investigates each component type at G-band and integrates them within subsystem assemblies; operating at frequencies well above those normally associated with low-cost consumer-level 3-D printing technologies. This opens-up new opportunities for rapid prototyping of complete low-cost front-end quasi-optical upper-millimeter-wave subsystems.

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Section: B Parabolic Mirrorsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Polymer-Based 3-D Printed 140-220 GHz Low-Cost Quasi-Optical Components and Integrated Subsystem Assembly

et al. 2021

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“…The incredible availability of different materials and their easiness in manufacturing had a tremendous influence on the recent development of THz diffractive optical elements. Even in the case of reflective optics, 3D printing methods [ 46 ] are used and assure a good quality. The phenomenon of THz optical elements, especially for lower frequency range, is related to relatively long wavelengths in the range of single millimeters or tenths of a millimeter.…”

Section: Characteristic Features Concerning Manufacturingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Magic of Optics—An Overview of Recent Advanced Terahertz Diffractive Optical Elements

Siemion

2020

Sensors

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Diffractive optical elements are well known for being not only flat but also lightweight, and are characterised by low attenuation. In different spectral ranges, they provide better efficiency than commonly used refractive lenses. An overview of the recently invented terahertz optical structures based on diffraction design is presented. The basic concepts of structure design together with various functioning of such elements are described. The methods for structure optimization are analysed and the new approach of using neural network is shown. The paper illustrates the variety of structures created by diffractive design and highlights optimization methods. Each structure has a particular complex transmittance that corresponds to the designed phase map. This precise control over the incident radiation phase changes is limited to the design wavelength. However, there are many ways to overcome this inconvenience allowing for broadband functioning.

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“…Additive manufacturing techniques have recently gained attention as tools for direct fabrication of classical optical components including lenses [1][2][3], filters [4,5], waveguides, and diffractive optics [6,7] for the terahertz (THz) spectral range. While the majority of the research is focused on fused-filament deposition approaches, stereolithography has been demonstrated as a viable alternative in particular for applications where low surface roughness and high spatial resolution are required [8,9]. State-of-the-art commercial stereolithography systems can achieve spatial resolutions on the order of 10 μm and therefore allow the synthesis of functional THz optical components with significantly improved surface roughness compared to other additive manufacturing techniques [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical Tuning of the Terahertz Photonic Bandgap of 3D-Printed One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals

Park

Norton

Boreman

et al. 2021

J Infrared Milli Terahz Waves

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Mechanical tuning of a 3D-printed, polymer-based one-dimensional photonic crystal was demonstrated in the terahertz spectral range. The investigated photonic crystal consists of 13 alternating compact and low-density layers and was fabricated through single-step stereolithography. While the compact layers are entirely polymethacrylate without any intentional internal structures, the low-density layers contain sub-wavelength sized slanted columnar inclusions to allow the mechanical compression in a direction normal to the layer interfaces of the photonic crystal. Terahertz transmission spectroscopy of the photonic crystal was performed in a spectral range from 83 to 124 GHz as a function of the compressive strain. The as-fabricated photonic crystal showed a distinct photonic bandgap centered at 109 GHz, which blue shifted under compressive stress. A maximum shift of 12 GHz in the bandgap center frequency was experimentally demonstrated. Stratified optical models incorporating simple homogeneous and inhomogeneous compression approximations were used to analyze the transmission data. A good agreement between the experimental and model-calculated transmission spectra was found.

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Metalized Poly-methacrylate Off-Axis Parabolic Mirrors for Terahertz Imaging Fabricated by Additive Manufacturing

Cited by 14 publications

References 12 publications

Polymer-Based 3-D Printed 140-220 GHz Low-Cost Quasi-Optical Components and Integrated Subsystem Assembly

Polymer-Based 3-D Printed 140-220 GHz Low-Cost Quasi-Optical Components and Integrated Subsystem Assembly

The Magic of Optics—An Overview of Recent Advanced Terahertz Diffractive Optical Elements

Mechanical Tuning of the Terahertz Photonic Bandgap of 3D-Printed One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals

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