Multilayer Dry Film Photoresist Fabrication of a Robust >100 GHz Gap Waveguide Slot Array Antenna

Abstract

This article presents the first use of a multilayer dry film photoresist to fabricate a slot array antenna by micromachining. The proposed fabrication process demonstrates a straightforward and fast method of realizing antenna structures and delicate features with very high accuracy above 100 GHz. The slot array antenna design is based on gap waveguide technology. The designed antenna consists of two layers: a slot layer and a feed layer with a transition to measuring waveguide. The antenna contains structures that require a multiple level dry film fabrication process with thicknesses ranging from $80~\mu \text{m}$ to $400~\mu \text{m}$ with $\pm 10~\mu \text{m}$ tolerance. The fabricated antenna shows good accuracy. To make the fabricated antenna layers conductive, the fabricated polymer antenna was coated with Ti and Au. The input reflection coefficient was measured to be below - 11 dB over a 10% bandwidth from 136-148 GHz, and the antenna gain was measured to be 11.4 dBi at 142 GHz, both of which are in fair agreement with simulations. A thermal cycling test has been conducted on the fabricated antenna and the results show insignificant degradation at least up to 300 cycles in the temperature range -50 °C to 135 °C which is the typical temperature gradient range for many practical outdoor wireless applications.