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Design and preliminary numerical simulations of D-band planar microstrip meander-line slow wave structure for lowvoltage tubes with sheet electron beam were carried out. An original approach based on magnetron sputtering and laser ablation methods was utilized for microstrip meander-line slow wave structure microfarication. An application of nanosecond and picosecond laser ablation for microfabrication of D-band (110-170 GHz) planar microstrip meander-line slow wave structure was considered. We have verified our original approach for planar slow wave structures microfabrication by using different CNC precision laser machines operating with different values of laser pulse duration (100 ns, 8 ns, 4 ns and 10 ps). Samples of slow wave structures were fabricated and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and profilometry methods. It was shown that each considered CNC precision laser machine allows fabricating D-band microstrip meander-line slow wave structure with required dimensions, but picosecond laser ablation has such advantages as the absence of ablation products (droplets, and etc.) on the slow wave structure surface. As the next step, we are going to study S-parameters of microfabricated D-band microstrip meander-line slow wave structure samples experimentally by using vector network analyzer with D-band frequency converters.

We consider the results of dielectric properties study in millimeter band of thin-films based on silicon nitride compositions. Silicon nitride thin-film coatings were deposited on a substrate by DC magnetron sputtering. As a substrate for silicon nitride thin-film coatings a quartz plate were utilized. The ratio of argon and nitrogen in the working gas mixture was chosen as the variable parameter to control the composition of the deposited thin-film coating. Several samples of silicon nitride thin-film coatings with about 1 um thickness were fabricated. Radiophysical and dielectric properties of the fabricated SiN-type thin-film coatings were studied in millimeter wave frequency band of 50-70 GHz (V-band) with help of free space measurement method. The obtained results have shown that by controlling the resistive thin-film coating composition one can only slightly vary the radiophysical and dielectric properties of coating in millimeter-band.

In this paper, we consider a short review of existing technologies of flexible antenna fabrication and propose our original approach for flexible antenna fabrication. Review of existing technologies of flexible antenna fabrication includes photolithography, screen printing, pad printing, gravure printing, inkjet printing, micro-dispensing, micro-jetting, and aerosol-jet technology. Advantages and disadvantages of each mentioned above technologies were noted. In the second part of this study, we consider our original technology for antenna fabrication on flexible substrates utilizing magnetron sputtering and laser ablation methods. Samples of flexible antennas are formed on a flexible dielectric substrate in a technology process comprising following basic stages: 1) deposition a conductive coating onto the dielectric substrate with help of magnetron sputtering, 2) formation the pattern of the antenna structure on the conductive coating by laser ablation. In the final stage, the substrate is divided into individual samples of specific sizes. A number of test flexible antennas fabricated by our original approach are shown.

We have propose an original approach for fabrication of flexible antennas for biomedical-related applications. The technology is based on magnetron sputtering and laser ablation methods. The magnetron sputtering method is used to deposit a thin layer of metal (copper) on a flexible substrate (polyimide film). Then laser ablation is utilized to remove excess copper thus forming an antenna pattern on the metal layer. ISM band flexible design with microstrip feeding structure was chosen for testing this technique. Results of numerical simulation are presented. A number of test flexible antennas were fabricated by our original approach. Similar flexible antennas were also fabricated via photolithography process. A comparison of the experimental results of return loss (S11) measurements of antennas with different fabrication approach was carried out. The obtained experimental data is in a good agreement with the numerical modeling results. Proposed technology has significant advantages in cost, speed, and flexibility over photolithography processes commonly utilized for such applications.

Encapsulation of various nanoparticles in nanofibers has become one of the most interesting topics in the field of electrospinning and SERS. Literature review shows that several main approaches can be distinguished for the preparation of electrospun nanofibers with embedded metal nanostructures. However, there is no information about the comparison of various methods of metal nanoparticles introduction into nanofiber-based SERS-platforms. Three main approaches were used here for preparation of SERS-platforms based on electrospun nanofibers with embedded silver nanoparticles: synthesis of metal nanostructures inside fibers prepared with incorporated precursor, metal nanostructures synthesis via their nucleation in prepared nanofibers and sorption of metal nanostructures onto ready-made nanofibers. SERS-platforms based on polyacrylonitrile nanofibers containing various concentrations of Ag nanoparticles were obtained using techniques described above and tested.