Three-Dimensionally printed/additive manufactured antennas

Additive manufacturing (AM), or often referred to as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is an important emerging research area which has received much attention recently. It allows 3D objects with arbitrary geometry to be printed automatically layer by layer from bottom to top. This technology offers several advantages compared to conventional manufacturing techniques including the capability of more flexible design, prototyping time and cost reduction, less human interaction, and faster product development cycle. 3D printing techniques have been applied in many different sectors including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, art, architecture, and landscaping. This chapter reviews state-of-the-art 3D printed antennas from microwave to THz frequencies and offers practical and futuristic perspectives on the challenges and potentials of 3D printed antennas. An overview of various 3D printing techniques relevant to antenna applications is presented first. A number of 3D printed antenna examples categorized by different AM methods are then described. Finally, technical challenges and possible solutions of 3D printing technology specific to antenna application, as well as new and revolutionary antenna design/ realization concepts enabled by 3D printing technology, are discussed.