Fabrication of Terahertz Components Using 3D Printed Templates

A new fabrication process for passive terahertz components is introduced. Molds are 3D printed on a commercially available 3D printer using rigid opaque material Vero White. An injection molding machine is used to melt low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethelene (HDPE) pellets to fill the molds. Sample components are designed in ANSYS HFSS and fabricated using the new process including a set of lenses, various dielectric ridge waveguides, a photonic crystal filter, and probes. Samples are then measured using a frequency domain terahertz system and compared to their expected performance from simulation.