Advances in Multibeam Flat GRIN Lens Antennas: A promising 3D-printed design

High-gain multibeam antennas are indispensable components in high-speed satellite communication (SatCom) systems. They have the ability to produce multiple directive beams that can cover a predefined angular range. Among different multibeam antennas, gradient-index (GRIN) flat lenses serve as a promising technology to realize multibeam radiation with their advantages of low profile, easy installation, low cost, high efficiency, and a wide beam coverage. This article describes the recent advances in GRIN lens antennas. In particular, this article presents a novel 3D-printed multibeam GRIN lens antenna. The design offers a broad 2D angular coverage of ±45°. It maintains a scanning loss of less than 2.4 dB and sidelobe levels (SLLs) below –10 dB. The antenna also achieves a high aperture efficiency of up to 60% across the 12–15-GHz frequency band.