US 12,170,403 B2
Isotropic 3D-printed gradient-index RF lens
Jeremiah P. Turpin, Linthicum, MD (US); Zakaria Bouhanna, Swindon (GB); John Finney, London (GB); and Ergin Dinc, Reading (GB)
Assigned to All.Space Networks Limited, Reading (GB)
Filed by All.Space Networks Limited, Reading (GB)
Filed on Nov. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/517,823.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/109,102, filed on Nov. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0140493 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. H01Q 15/08 (2006.01); B29D 11/00 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); H01Q 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01Q 15/08 (2013.01) [B29D 11/00355 (2013.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); H01Q 15/02 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A three-dimensional (3D)-printed radio-frequency refractive device, comprising:
a material arranged in a multilayer structure having an inhomogeneous dielectric profile, a geometry of the multilayer structure having uniaxial properties; and
air voids disposed within the multilayer structure of the material, wherein the air voids:
i. are pseudo-randomly disposed within the material;
ii. have diameters that are pseudo-randomly distributed within the material; and
iii. provide an overall air fraction within the material, the overall air fraction configured to provide an effective dielectric constant in regions of the material; and
wherein the air voids have a compressed shape configured to counteract the uniaxial properties of the geometry of the multilayer structure.