A Comparative Study of 3D Printed Bowtie and Monopole Antennas for Ka-Band

This study demonstrates the feasibility of fabricating Ka-band antennas using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology, with a focus on integrating DLP 3D printing with conventional micromachining processes. We successfully designed and printed air-lifted 3D bowtie and monopole antennas on a photosensitive resin substrate. The antennas were designed to resonate at 28 GHz for advanced 5G wireless communications. The monopole antenna, with a height of 2.67 mm and a diameter of 500 μm, achieved a resonant frequency of 27.9 GHz, an input reflection coefficient of −26.6 dB, and a maximum realized gain of 6.19 dBi. The bowtie antenna, featuring a height of 1.67 mm, a top width of 2 mm, a bottom width of 300 μm, and a flare angle of 30°, also resonated at 27.9 GHz with an input reflection coefficient of −51.1 dB and a gain of 5.48 dBi. These results highlight the potential of DLP-based 3D printing to create effective and customizable antenna solutions for the rapidly evolving demands of modern wireless networks.