Additive manufacturing techniques for meander-line polarizers

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A meander-line polarizer, comprising:
 a dielectric substrate made of a polyester polymer material; and   a plurality of meander-line arrays formed on a surface of the dielectric substrate, each meander-line array comprising 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.   
     
     
         2 . The meander-line polarizer of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 
     
     
         3 . The meander-line polarizer of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive traces of the meander-line arrays are formed on the surface of the dielectric substrate by an inkjet printer. 
     
     
         4 . The meander-line polarizer of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive traces of the meander-line arrays are formed on the surface of the dielectric substrate using a screen printing process. 
     
     
         5 . The meander-line polarizer of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the template comprises a screen that includes an aperture for each meander-line array; and   the screen printing process applies, for each conductive trace, conductive ink to the surface of the dielectric substrate by placing the screen over the surface of the dielectric substrate and applying the conductive ink over the screen.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive ink comprises conductive copper ink or conductive silver ink. 
     
     
         7 . The meander-line polarizer of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the conductive traces is formed on the surface of the dielectric substrate by:
 determining that the at least one conductive trace has a width that is greater than a maximum width for the particular conductive trace defined by the template; and   etching away at least a portion of the at least one conductive trace such that the width of the particular trace is equal to or less than the maximum width.   
     
     
         8 . A meander-line polarizer prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
 receiving, by an additive manufacturing device, a template that defines an arrangement of meander-line arrays for a meander-line polarizer, each meander-line array 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 conductive trace, conductive ink 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.   
     
     
         9 . The meander-line polarizer of  claim 8 , wherein the polyester material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 
     
     
         10 . The meander-line polarizer of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the template comprises a screen that includes an aperture for each meander-line array, the aperture for a meander-line array being located in the screen at a location for the meander-line array defined by the template; and   applying, for each conductive trace, 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. 
   
     
     
         11 . The meander-line polarizer of  claim 8 , 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.