High Resolution Passive Imaging Using III-V Monolithic Millimetre Integrated Circuits (MMICs) Operating at 200GHz
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: Electronics and Electrical Engineering
Abstract
This is a joint University of Glasgow, QinetiQ project in millimetre-wave imaging, primarily for safety and security applications - an excellent example of academia and industry working together to realise an operational, next generation, leading edge, functional prototype imaging system. The University of Glasgow is a world leading Centre in nanofabrication technology and millimetre-wave component design. Qinetiq is an internationally leading UK high technology company with particular specialism in producing advanced imaging systems.Millimetre-wave radar and imaging systems which operate in the 100-300 GHz frequency range, have numerous applications. Unlike infrared, millimetre-waves can penetrate fog, dust, smoke and light rain which makes them suitable for target acquisition, aircraft navigation, landing in zero visibility conditions and in unmanned autonomous aircraft.Millimetre-waves are able to passively detect concealed plastic and metal objects under clothing making them ideal for mass transportation security applications. In addition, the investigation of chemical and biological phenomena with non-ionising millimetre and terahertz waves may lead to compact detectors of dangerous substances and will enable new opportunities in medical diagnostic tools. Further, the ability of millimetre-waves to penetrate through few centimetres of sand render them capable of remote sensing and landmine clearing operation.The key to imaging and sensing systems operating at frequencies above 100 GHz is the realisation of ultra-high sensitivity Monolithic Millimetre-wave Integrated Circuits (MMIC's) in which low noise amplifiers (LNA's), detectors and antennas are combined on a single semiconductor chip. The function of the LNA is to amplify the received signal from the antenna, keeping the background noise at low level. The diode detector transforms the signals received into pixels with different shading intensities, and hence reconstructing a real image as the antenna scans across the target.Direct detection techniques have primarily been demonstrated only at frequencies below 100GHz, due to the performance limitations of current nano technologies and the largely unexplored design challenges at mm-wave frequencies beyond 100GHz. The advantages for implementing mm-wave frequencies beyond 100GHz are; higher resolution imaging, reduce cluttering, and smaller component size; hence a higher image definition, fewer false alarms, increasing safety factor, reduced cost, and less bulky systems can be realised. MMIC design for the applications mentioned above at millimetre-wave frequencies beyond 100 GHz, and specifically, next generation imaging systems operating at 200 GHz, presents major challenges in both technology and design. In technology, transistors with critical dimensions of 50nm (0.001x the diameter of a human hair), and three dimensional nano structures are required. In integrated circuit design beyond 100 GHz, all components produced on the chips are highly sensitive to their surroundings, including parasitic effects, so that every last FemtoFarad of capacitance an Ohm of resistance has to be considered. To insure a successful outcome, the overall project has been broken down into a number of tasks, each of which will be verified independently. The final prototype imaging system operating at 200GHz will be assembled and tested as a joint effort between the University of Glasgow and QinetiQ, both of whom are well established and internationally recognised research groups with the required technology and design expertise to successfully produce the demonstrator system. This project will allow the realisation of more compact, higher imaging resolution systems, paving the way for the next generation of single element and array imaging systems on a single chip.
People |
ORCID iD |
Khaled Elgaid (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Donadio O
(2011)
Waveguide-to-microstrip transition at G-band using elevated E-plane probe
in Electronics Letters
Hwang C
(2009)
Parallel coupled-line bandpass filter with branch-line shape for G-band frequency
in Electronics Letters
Hwang C
(2009)
DC-35 GHz low-loss MMIC switch using 50 nm gate-length MHEMT technology for ultra-low-power applications
in Electronics Letters
Aghamoradi F
(2009)
Performance enhancement of millimetre-wave resonators using elevated CPW
in Electronics Letters
Hwang C
(2009)
Erratum for 'DC-35 GHz low-loss MMIC switch using 50 nm gate-length MHEMT technology for ultra-low-power applications'
in Electronics Letters
McGregor I
(2010)
Low-power GaAs comparator and monostable
in Electronics Letters
Hwang C
(2010)
An Ultra-Low-Power MMIC Amplifier Using 50-nm $\delta$ -Doped $\hbox{In}_{0.52}\hbox{Al}_{0.48}\hbox{As/In}_{0.53} \hbox{Ga}_{0.47}\hbox{As}$ Metamorphic HEMT
in IEEE Electron Device Letters
McGregor I
(2010)
An Approximate Analytical Model for the Quasi-Static Parameters of Elevated CPW Lines
in IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
Emhemmed A
(2010)
Elevated conductor coplanar waveguide-fed three-level proximity-coupled antenna for G-band applications
in IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation
Description | Some of the technology I have developed is now been used many reserach groups in the School of Engineering at Glasgow University. Further, the key commercial aspects of my technology have now been taken by Kelvin Nanotechnology Ltd (KNT), the commercial portal to our nanofabrication facility, on numerous contracts with both UK and overseas customers. |
First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Education,Electronics |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | High Speed Sampling Downconverters for Radar and EW Applications |
Amount | £81,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | BAE Systems |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2008 |
End | 09/2010 |
Description | UK source for mm-wave imager MMIC technology |
Amount | £120,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Qinetiq |
Department | QinetiQ (Malvern) |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2007 |
End | 12/2009 |
Description | W-Band Ultra Wideband Medium Power Amplifiers for Instrumentation Applications |
Amount | $50,000 (USD) |
Organisation | Agilent Technologies |
Sector | Private |
Country | United States |
Start | 08/2009 |
End | 09/2009 |
Description | Transition on the Chip for coupling electromagnetic signal between the waveguide and the active device operating at 183 GHz |
Organisation | Qinetiq |
Department | QinetiQ (Malvern) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Design built and tested a new millimetre-wave component enhancing imaging system sensitivity capablity and reducing cost. Now our developed approach is utilised by millimetre-wave industry. |
Collaborator Contribution | Case studentship funding, £20K, partial Supervision (industry supervisor) and working with the UK defence sector and Metropolitan Police (London). System design knowladge transfer to the University. |
Impact | Imaging system design knowledge and new millimetre-wave component designed and made enhancing imaging system sensitivity. |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | Invitation to give a workshop presentation at European Microwave Week 2011 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | To provide an overview of the current research and future trends in technology, device design, associated scaling and reliability issues of narrow-bandgap GaAs or InP HEMTs targeting advanced microwave/(sub)mmwave transceivers aiming for highest frequency, gain, and lowest noise figure and power dissipation. Also new devices such as Sb-based HEMTs are of interest. Examples from circuit or system implementations of the narrow bandgap HEMTs are strongly encouraged. The work shop organiser invited several well-known experts in the field. As my research in this field is internationally recognized and the organiser convinced a presentation from myself would considerably strengthen the programme. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | Invited speaker - Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium, Stockholm, Sweden. 2013 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Advances in Millimetre-Wave and THz Circuit, Techniques and Applications discussions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Invited to Agilent Advisory Board to advise on RF devices technology discussion |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | RF devices technology discussion and future roadmap for collaborations with the University of Glasgow |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |