# US 11,122,690 B2 · Additive manufacturing techniques for meander-line polarizers

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- Number: US 11,122,690 B2
- Document ID: US11122690B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/236,812
- Filed: 2018-12-31
- Published: 2020-07-02
- Granted: 2021-09-14
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-31
- Assignees: Hughes Network Systems, LLC
- Applicants: Hughes Network Systems, LLC
- Inventors: Bingqian Lu; Peter Hou; Taiwei Yue; Brian Clough; Harry Johnson; John Corrigan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122690B2

## CPC

- B41M 1/12: Stencil printing; Silk-screen printing
- H05K 3/1225: {Screens or stencils; Holders therefor}
- B29D 11/00644: {polarizing}
- B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- B41M 3/003: {on optical devices, e.g. lens elements; for the production of optical devices (production by thermal imaging means B41M5/265)}
- B41M 3/006: {Patterns of chemical products used for a specific purpose, e.g. pesticides, perfumes, adhesive patterns; use of microencapsulated material; Printing on smoking articles}
- B41M 5/0023: {Digital printing methods characterised by the inks used (inks per se C09D11/00)}
- H01Q 15/244: {converting a linear polarised wave into a circular polarised wave (guided wave H01P1/17)}
- H05K 1/0353: {consisting of two or more materials, e.g. two or more polymers, polymer + filler, + reinforcement}
- H05K 1/092: {Dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks}
- H05K 3/1233: {Methods or means for supplying the conductive material and for forcing it through the screen or stencil}
- B29K 2067/003: {PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate}
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- H05K 2201/0145: Polyester, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET], polyethylene naphthalate [PEN]
- H05K 2201/09263: Meander
- H05K 2203/0121: Patterning, e.g. plating or etching by moving electrode
- H05K 2203/013: Inkjet printing, e.g. for printing insulating material or resist
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for producing meander-line polarizers. In some implementations, a meander-line polarizer includes a dielectric substrate made of a polyester polymer material and meander-line arrays formed on a surface of the dielectric substrate. Each meander-line array includes a sequence of alternating perpendicular conductive traces that are formed the surface of the dielectric substrate by applying conductive ink to the surface of the dielectric substrate using a template that defines a location and dimensions of each conductive trace of each meander-line array.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing a meander-line polarizer, the method being performed by an additive manufacturing device, the method comprising:
receiving, by the additive manufacturing device, a template that defines an arrangement of meander-line arrays for the meander-line polarizer, each of the meander-line arrays including a sequence of alternating perpendicular conductive traces, the template defining dimensions of each conductive trace and a location of each conductive trace in the arrangement;
receiving, by the additive manufacturing device, a dielectric substrate made of a polyester polymer material; and
generating, by the additive manufacturing device and using the template, the meander-line arrays on the surface of the dielectric substrate by applying, for each of the conductive traces, conductive ink from an ink supply for the additive manufacturing device to the surface of the dielectric substrate in the location for the conductive trace defined by the template and with the dimensions for the conductive trace defined by the template.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the dielectric substrate made of the polyester polymer material comprises receiving a dielectric substrate made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the template comprises a screen that includes an aperture for each of the meander-line arrays, wherein the apertures for the meander-line arrays are located in the screen at respective locations defined by the template; and
applying, for each of the conductive traces, conductive ink to the surface of the dielectric substrate comprises:
placing the screen over the surface of the dielectric substrate; and
applying the conductive ink over the screen.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein applying, for each conductive trace, conductive ink to the surface of the dielectric substrate comprises spreading the conductive ink across the screen and into the apertures.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein spreading the conductive ink across the screen and into the apertures comprises moving a scraper over the screen from a first side of the screen to a second side of the screen opposite the first side of the screen.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein:
the additive manufacturing device is a screen printing device; and
receiving, by the additive manufacturing device, a dielectric substrate made of a polyester polymer material comprises receiving a portion of a roll of the dielectric substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining that a particular conductive trace of a particular meander-line array applied to the surface of the dielectric substrate has a width that is greater than a maximum width for the particular conductive trace defined by the template; and
removing, using etching or a laser, at least a portion of the particular conductive trace such that the width of the particular trace is equal to or less than the maximum width.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive ink comprises one of conductive copper ink or conductive silver ink.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein applying, for each conductive trace, conductive ink to the surface of the dielectric substrate comprises applying, by an inkjet printer, the conductive ink for each conductive trace in a location on the surface of the dielectric substrate defined by the template.