3D metal powder additive manufacturing phased array antenna for multichannel Doppler reflectometer

Area of Science:

• Plasma physics
• Microwave engineering
• Additive manufacturing

Background:

• Understanding high-temperature plasma turbulence requires measuring wavenumber spectrum variations.
• Doppler reflectometry with multi-frequency sources is a promising diagnostic technique.
• Phased array antennas (PAA) offer beam scanning capabilities without mechanical movement, crucial for future fusion devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using 3D metal powder additive manufacturing (AM) for fabricating frequency-scanning waveguide leaky-wave antenna-type PAA.
• To model and characterize the performance of 3D AM-fabricated PAA for plasma diagnostics.
• To demonstrate the application of the 3D manufactured PAA for plasma flow velocity measurements.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication and characterization of a single waveguide using 3D metal powder additive manufacturing to assess AM technique performance.
• Modeling and fabrication of a phased array antenna (PAA) using 3D AM.
• Experimental verification of frequency scanning capabilities for beam emission in arbitrary directions.
• Application of the 3D manufactured PAA in plasma measurements.

Main Results:

• Performance variations in single waveguides were observed depending on manufacturing direction and surface treatment.
• The fabricated PAA successfully demonstrated frequency scanning, enabling beam emission in any direction.
• The 3D manufactured PAA proved effective for measuring plasma flow velocity.

Conclusions:

• 3D metal powder additive manufacturing is a viable technique for fabricating complex PAA structures for plasma diagnostics.
• The developed PAA system enables efficient beam steering for enhanced plasma turbulence measurements.
• This technology holds potential for advanced diagnostics in future fusion energy devices.