3D-Printed High-Precision Lightweight K-Band Corrugated Horn Antenna with Chemical Silver Plating

In this study, we designed and fabricated a lightweight and high-precision K-band corrugated horn antenna with a wide operating frequency using chemical silver plating and three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. The corrugated horn antenna was mainly made of polymer materials, with a metal silver coating on the inner surface, and its mass was only 17% of that of a steel corrugated horn antenna. 3D printing technology achieved the integrated solidification and molding of the complex internal structure of the K-band corrugated horn antenna. The antenna had a return loss mostly below −20 dB in the range of 18.0–27.0 GHz and a gain of over 14 dB in the range of 18.0–24.0 GHz. The measured results of the directional pattern agreed well with the simulation results. This technology is expected to bring revolutionary changes to the overall design and manufacturing process of small satellites and radar systems.