SBIR/STTR Award attributes
This project aims to develop additively manufactured gradient index (GRIN) lenses for wideband use in naval communications, radar, or electronic surveillance. The lenses will be made using nanocomposite materials, and direct print multi-materials additive manufacturing. The goal is to achieve at least a 10-to-1 bandwidth, with a wideband 2-40 GHz operation. The lenses will be thin and conformal with flat and curved outer profiles. The complex dielectric properties of nanocomposite materials will be characterized, and mechanical testing will be performed. The project will demonstrate the ability to optimize aperture performance using high order aspheric GRIN profiles, 3D GRIN profiles, that vary radially and axially, and using freeform GRIN profiles. Proof-of-concept GRIN lenses will be fabricated and compared to modeling and simulated results.
