Project Details

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Enhancing Antenna Directivity with 3D Printed GRIN Lenses

Company: Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division

Major(s):
Primary: EE
Secondary: ME

Non-Disclosure Agreement: NO

Intellectual Property: NO

High Power Microwave Directed Energy (HPM DE) systems require antennas capable of handling high-power while achieving high gain. Students will identify and summarize current commercial solutions and systems presented in the open literature. A candidate antenna element will be simulated, fabricated, and testing using facilities at the Learning Factory and the Electrical Engineering Department. Students will also explore further antenna enhancement utilizing solutions such as radome and gradient-index lenses. Students will work closely with Prof. Sawyer Campbell, Penn State Center of Excellence in Directed Energy (CEDE) Director of Workforce Development, and a subject matter expert from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD). A list of project deliverables is summarized below: • Technical reports (concept, preliminary, detail) • Literature review and engineering analyses of current solutions • Engineering drawings and specifications of selected prototype • Computer simulations of prototype electromagnetic performance • Prototype fabrication and testing results • Final technical report, poster, and one-page summary