Low loss PTFE core metal/dielectric waveguide for W band applications

This study presents the design and experimental validation of a flexible, low-loss waveguide operating in the single-mode regime in W-band (75–110 GHz). The waveguide design and geometric parameters were numerically optimized using electromagnetic simulations. Fabrication was carried out using industrial-grade polytetrafluoroethylene extrusion and metal ribbon deposition processes. The waveguide performance, namely the propagation loss and effective refractive index, was characterized using a vector network analyzer in the 70–120 GHz frequency range. Measurements demonstrate a propagation loss lower than 11.7 dB/m in the W-band.