Very Low-Cost Inkjet-Printed Metamaterials: Progress and Challenges

A very low-cost inkjet printing of three-dimensional metamaterials is studied. By using commercial standard printers and loading them with silver-based inks, we are able to fabricate metamaterial blocks that can operate effectively at the lower frequencies of the X-band. We discuss important challenges in constructing a low-cost inkjet printing setup, as well as the current status on fabricating successful structures without resorting to expensive setups. Despite the challenges, it is shown that relatively complex metamaterial blocks that operate at microwave frequencies can be fabricated.