6.5:1 FREQUENCY BREAKTHROUGH: 3D-PRINTED CERAMICS REVOLUTIONIZE DUAL-BAND ANTENNA DESIGN
July 27, 2025
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A joint research that breaks the frequency barrier of 5G antenna design for performance via NPJ ceramic solution.
The race to 5G dominance has created an unprecedented engineering challenge: designing a single antenna that seamlessly operates across both traditional microwave frequencies (sub-6 GHz) and cutting-edge millimeter-wave bands (24-30 GHz)—a staggering 6.5:1 frequency ratio that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.
Traditional manufacturing methods have hit a wall. The complex geometries required for these “dual-wideband” antennas—featuring intricate curved surfaces, precise anti-reflective structures, and multiple integrated components—are simply too challenging for conventional PCB and CNC machining approaches.
A groundbreaking research collaboration with Beijing Jiaotong University and Shenzhen University has demonstrated how XJet’s Carmel 1400C ceramic 3D printing technology is solving this critical challenge. Their innovative antenna design, produced in XJet’s Alumina ceramic material, achieves something previously thought impossible: seamless operation across both frequency bands with exceptional performance metrics.
How 3D Printed Structures Make the Difference
The secret lies in what the researchers call a “tri-mode-composite dielectric patch”—essentially a sophisticated 100*100mm 3D structure that shape-shifts its electromagnetic behavior depending on frequency. At lower frequencies, it acts as a traditional patch antenna. At higher frequencies, it transforms into a precision lens that can focus and direct multiple beams simultaneously.
Creating this antenna requires precision curved surfaces that follow complex hyperbolic lens equations, microscopic anti-reflective layers featuring 1.2mm diameter cylindrical elements, and variable thickness structures optimized for each frequency band. Most critically, the entire structure needs to function as an integrated unit rather than assembled components.
XJet’s pioneering NanoParticle Jetting™ technology delivers the precision this breakthrough demands. With layer thickness resolution of 7-10 microns, surface roughness of just 1.6-6.3 μm, and minimum feature capabilities down to 200 microns, the Carmel 1400C system produces the entire antenna structure as a single, seamless piece. This includes curved surfaces following complex hyperbolic lens equations, variable thickness structures optimized for each frequency band, and microscopic anti-reflective layers—all fabricated without the assembly challenges that plague traditional manufacturing.
Manufacturing Excellence That Matters
.The research team’s choice of XJet technology wasn’t arbitrary. After extensive evaluation, they found that the fabrication tolerance of ±50 µm was well within acceptable limits for their demanding design requirements. Even when tested with dimensional variations of ±100 µm, the antenna performance remained remarkably stable—demonstrating both the robustness of the design methodology and the precision of ceramic 3D printing.
The results speak volumes: 46.7% bandwidth coverage in the low frequency band and 28.35% bandwidth in the high frequency band, with multi-beam capability and a compact profile that’s 60% lower than comparable designs.
The Carmel 1400C system achieves this using XJet’s alumina ceramic material, delivering the exact electrical properties required: a permittivity of 12.5 and loss tangent of 0.011, perfectly matched to the antenna’s electromagnetic requirements.
Perhaps most significantly, the ability to print complex geometries as a single piece eliminates assembly errors, reduces manufacturing time, and ensures consistent performance across production runs. Traditional approaches would require multiple fabrication steps, precise alignment of separate components, and extensive testing to achieve similar results.
The Future of Advanced Antennas
This breakthrough represents more than an incremental improvement in antenna technology. It’s a fundamental shift in what becomes possible when design engineers are freed from traditional manufacturing constraints. As 5G networks evolve toward 6G and beyond, the demand for even more sophisticated, multi-frequency antenna systems will only intensify.
The precision, complexity, and performance achieved in this research project point toward a future where antenna designers are limited only by physics rather than manufacturing capabilities. XJet’s ceramic 3D printing technology isn’t just enabling today’s innovations; it’s laying the foundation for tomorrow’s wireless infrastructure. The ability to create complex, multi-functional electromagnetic structures as single printed components opens entirely new categories of solutions.
Download the complete research paper below to discover the full technical specifications, design process, and measurement results that demonstrate how ceramic 3D printing is transforming advanced antenna manufacturing.
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