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

Claim 0:
1. A method of forming a gradient index (GRIN) lens for propagating an electromagnetic wave, the method comprising:
receiving, by a manufacturing device having one or more processors, a model comprising data specifying a plurality of layers,
wherein at least one layer of the plurality of layers comprises an arrangement of one or more volume elements comprising 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

generating, with the manufacturing device by an additive manufacturing process, the GRIN lens based on the model.