3D printed high-temperature ceramic conformal array antenna: Design, analysis, manufacturing, and testing

In this study, the design, analysis, manufacturing, and testing of a 3D-printed conformal microstrip array antenna for high-temperature environments is presented. 3D printing technology is used to fabricate a curved ceramic substrate, and laser sintering and microdroplet spraying processes are used to add the conductive metal on the curved substrate. The problems of gain loss, bandwidth reduction, and frequency shift caused by high temperatures are addressed by using a proper antenna design, with parasitic patches, slots, and metal resonant cavities. The antenna prototype is characterized by the curved substrates and the conductive metals for the power dividers, the patch, and the ground plane; its performance is examined up to a temperature of 600 °C in a muffle furnace and compared with the results from the numerical analysis. The results show that the antenna can effectively function at 600 °C and even higher temperatures.