Patent ID: 11916306
Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  H  G | IPC B  G  H

Claim 18:
19. A gradient index (GRIN) lens for propagating an electromagnetic wave, the lens comprising:
a plurality of layers additively formed to comprise a plurality of volume elements, wherein at least one layer of the plurality of layers comprises an arrangement of the one or more volume elements, wherein each of the volume elements comprises a first dielectric material and a second dielectric material,
wherein the at least one layer of the plurality of layers has a dielectric profile that is made up of a plurality of different effective dielectric constants of the volume elements in the layer, and
wherein one or more lines in a first one of the plurality of layers has a grid pattern, and
wherein each of the local effective dielectric constants is a function of a volumetric ratio of the first dielectric material to the second dielectric material in the respective volume elements, a dielectric constant of the first dielectric material, and a dielectric constant of the second dielectric material.