A Terahertz Filtering Slot Array Antenna Using Micro-Metal Additive Manufacturing

A terahertz slot array antenna with an integrated filtering response is proposed using micro-metal additive manufacturing (M-MAM) technology. The bottom layer of the antenna structure is a seventh-order all-resonator 1-to-16 filtering power divider. This waveguide feed network can transfer energy to the cavity through coupling slots with the same amplitude and in phase. Then, each cavity excites a 2 × 2 radiation slot subarray at the top layer. The 2 × 2 slot subarray unit can be used to form a larger array, providing flexibility in the size of the array antenna. By using the proposed subarrays, an 8 × 8 slot array antenna is designed in accordance with the fabrication process of M-MAM. Due to the low surface roughness and all metal structure, the array antenna achieves high gain, high aperture efficiency and good filtering response. The filtering array antenna using M-MAM technology is promising for sub-terahertz (sub-THz) applications.