A Design Method for Rectangular Waveguide-Typed Microwave Devices Based on a Novel Origami Process.

Area of Science:

• Microwave Engineering
• Materials Science
• Origami Engineering

Background:

• Traditional fabrication of microwave devices can be complex and costly.
• There is a need for rapid and economical manufacturing methods for waveguide components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel origami-based design and fabrication method for rectangular waveguide microwave devices.
• To demonstrate the feasibility and performance of origami-constructed waveguides, couplers, and power dividers.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of planar structures using lamination and laser cutting of polystyrene and aluminum foils.
• Conversion of planar structures into 3D solid structures using a selective infrared light absorption-based origami process.
• Assembly and testing of single-layer and multi-layer origami-based rectangular waveguides, couplers, and power dividers.

Main Results:

• Rectangular waveguide exhibited insertion loss superior to -0.9 dB.
• Waveguide coupler showed a coupling degree improvement from -12.8 dB to -8.9 dB between 11.0 GHz and 12.0 GHz.
• Power divider demonstrated return loss decreasing from -8.9 dB to -11.3 dB and consistent insertion loss (-3.5 dB to -5.2 dB) across output ports from 10.5 GHz to 11.5 GHz.

Conclusions:

• The origami-based design method is effective for fabricating rectangular waveguide microwave devices.
• The fabricated devices show easy assembly and good microwave performance, validating the novel approach.
• This method offers a swift and low-cost alternative for producing microwave components.