Acknowledgements | The main objective of the project is to carry out the necessary actions so that the patent “Manufacturing method of microwave device based on empty waveguide integrated into substrate” can be transferred with guarantees of success to companies for subsequent exploitation . The object of the patent was the development of a new technique for the manufacture of high-frequency communications devices that is based on three pillars:
- The use of substrate-integrated waveguide technology, which allows the development of a very wide range of communications devices: transmission lines, filters, resonators, power dividers, hybrids, phase shifters, antennas, etc. integrated into a planar substrate (low cost), but presenting the good performance of traditional devices developed in waveguide.
- The use of 3D printing with polymeric materials (plastics) subsequently metallized for the manufacture of communication devices. Polymeric materials are lighter than the metals traditionally used and 3D manufacturing allows for much faster prototyping than traditional methods. Furthermore, the precision obtained with these manufacturing methods is very high. On the other hand, communications devices must be conductive to be able to handle high-frequency signals. Therefore, devices manufactured with 3D printing, if they are polymeric, must be metallized with copper or another high-conductive material, ensuring quality and durability. of that metallization just as the patented method does.
- The modular integration of the developed devices into a complex circuit or system. This integration is achieved thanks to transitions with the rest of the circuit and an anchoring system with screws that allows the device to be easily assembled with the rest of the circuitry, changing it for another if the application requires it or if it is damaged due to some reason, without needing to modify the rest of the circuit.
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