Low-cost 3D-printed 240 GHz plastic lens fed by integrated antenna in organic substrate targeting sub-THz high data rate wireless links

Millimeter-wave and sub-THz low-cost antenna systems are hot topics in order to increase data rates. At these frequencies, quasi-optical antennas are often required to increase achievable gains and therefore link range. At 60 GHz and up-to 140 GHz, low-cost ABS-plastic lenses fabricated in 3D printing technology were successfully demonstrated. In this paper, the same approach is presented in the 215–240 GHz band. For the first time, an integrated antenna in organic substrate is used as a feed in order to illuminate a 3D-printed ABS-plastic lens. A co-design between those two elements was performed, a gain increase of ∼11 dB is then achieved for a lens diameter of 9 mm. A peak gain of 18 dBi has been measured at 235 GHz.