05/31/2024
By Danielle Fretwell

The Francis College of Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, invites you to attend a Master's Thesis defense by Christopher Molinari on: "Additively Manufactured X-Band Detectors Atop Multilayer Doubly Curved E-Glass Substrates."

Candidate Name: Christopher Molinari
Degree: Master’s
Defense Date: Thursday, June 6, 2024
Time: Noon to 1 p.m.
Location: ETIC-445

Committee:

  • Advisor: Corey Shemelya, Assistant Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Hualiang Zhang, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Oshadha Ranasingha, Assistant Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Brief Abstract:

Additive manufacturing has revolutionized countless industries, enabling not only the rapid prototyping of systems but also the integration of novel functionalities with unique form factors within these systems. This concept extends to the realm of wireless communication, where it is often desirable to electronic capabilities into existing parts without disturbing their broader structural properties. Such parts often possess rigid and highly conformal surfaces internal to the part where electrical integration is desired, which remains especially challenging using traditional subtractive techniques. This work demonstrates a novel multilayer insert-based approach to integrate an X-band RF detector directly within an electrical glass (E-glass) ogive nosecone. These inserts utilize fully aerosol jet-printed passive circuitry, including a patch antenna, a bandpass filter, transmission lines, and multiple printed ground planes. Discrete surface-mount devices (SMDs) are also integrated, including capacitor networks, a low-noise amplifier (LNA), an envelope detector, and a comparator. Fabrication challenges including the shifting of printed features, poor trace adhesion, uneven print surfaces, and intermittent SMD connections were identified and mostly resolved. Performance of the final detector was validated using calculations, simulations within Keysight ADS and Ansys HFSS, and measurements conducted within the laboratory. Though the final assembly does not meet the original goal of a fully functional, battery-powered device due to unrepairable intermittent SMD connections, all passive components within the device operate as expected. The lessons learned during its development lend itself well to the creation of a broad variety of future sensors using similar fabrication techniques.