3D printed broadband transformation optics based all-dielectric microwave lenses

Quasi-conformal transformation optics is applied to design electromagnetic devices for focusing and collimating applications at microwave frequencies. Two devices are studied and conceived by solving Laplace's equation that describes the deformation of a medium in a space transformation. As validation examples, material parameters of two different lenses are derived from the analytical solutions of Laplace's equation. The first lens is applied to produce an overall directive in-phase emission from an array of sources conformed on a cylindrical structure. The second lens allows deflecting a directive beam to an off-normal direction. Full-wave simulations are performed to verify the functionality of the calculated lenses. Prototypes presenting a graded refractive index are fabricated through three-dimensional polyjet printing using solely dielectric materials. Experimental measurements carried out show very good agreement with numerical simulations, thereby validating the proposed lenses. Such easily realizable designs open the way to low-cost all-dielectric microwave lenses for beam forming and collimation.