Diseño de filtros en tecnología de línea coaxial sin dieléctricos mediante impresión 3D

This article presents the design and manufacturing of a fully metallic X-band bandpass filter in coaxial-line technology. The device is 3D-printed as a self-supported structure without any dielectric inside. A short-circuit λ/4 parallel stub bandpass filter provides the required mechanical support for the self-supported 3D-printing process. To enhance filter out-of-band performance, a second stage consisting of a stepped-impedance low-pass filter is integrated, also using coaxial-line technology. Both filters are designed separately and then combined to achieve desired frequency specifications. A prototype with a passband at X-band (between 8 and 12 GHz) is manufactured using Selective Laser Melting, showing excellent agreement between simulations and measurements. This approach promises highly integrated, multifunctional monoblock coaxial filters with additional benefits such as increased RF shielding and protection against electrostatic discharge.