Development of a W-band gyro-amplifier for high power, wideband pulsed coherent applications
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The project will consolidate our technology in developing a new class of high power, wideband millimetre wave amplifier which offers a ten-fold increase in available bandwidth and a five-fold increase in available peak power over the amplifiers used in current pulsed coherent applications such as radar, magnetic resonance, security imaging and remote sensing. It will bring step changes to these applications and the success of this research will have a huge worldwide technological impact and offer tremendous economic benefit to the UK. The proposal is a collaboration between two major millimetre wave groups at the University of Strathclyde and the University of St Andrews who collectively have decades of experience and vibrant international reputations in the development of high power millimetre wave sources, radars, instrumentation and components, plus a strong track record in commercialisation, industrial collaboration, and delivering on project objectives. The gyro-amplifier represents a core technology that is likely to lead to UK leadership in the field of high power millimetre wave radar.
Pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and dynamic nuclear polarisation (DNP) enhanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) instruments based on this gyro-amplifier technology will result in radically improved sensitivities. The EPR and DNP enhanced NMR (including the possibility of pulsed DNP-NMR and the use of phase and amplitude modulation) experiments will give rise to absolutely world-leading research. It will strongly enhance the UK's position as a world leader in a wide range of academic research areas, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering and medicine.
Atmospheric sensing and space debris tracking based on such an amplifier will allow long range monitoring of clouds, aerosols, precipitation (therefore enabling better global climate and pollution models for better prediction of weather and pollution, better management of natural resources and mitigation of natural hazards) and tracking of space debris (increasing safety for space travel and satellite launching). This will lead to greater radar sensitivity, enabling measurement of smaller or more tenuous particulates, with finer resolution, at longer ranges or in a shorter timescale. The technology also has the potential to be applied to the ground based mapping of space debris, a major consideration for all orbiting systems including environmental monitoring satellites.
The high power capability of hundreds watts of the gyro-amplifier in the hundred GHz to 1THz frequency range will allow standoff, real time video rate security imaging and sensing enabling high resolution 3D imaging and highly sensitive sensing of most hidden contrabands such as explosives, illegal drugs and chemical and biological materials. The project has the potential to disrupt a large fraction of the existing X-ray based security market. The research team at Strathclyde is a world leader in this "terahertz amplification" area and can realise the application pull through collaborating with wide UK terahertz imaging and sensing community and industries.
Pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and dynamic nuclear polarisation (DNP) enhanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) instruments based on this gyro-amplifier technology will result in radically improved sensitivities. The EPR and DNP enhanced NMR (including the possibility of pulsed DNP-NMR and the use of phase and amplitude modulation) experiments will give rise to absolutely world-leading research. It will strongly enhance the UK's position as a world leader in a wide range of academic research areas, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering and medicine.
Atmospheric sensing and space debris tracking based on such an amplifier will allow long range monitoring of clouds, aerosols, precipitation (therefore enabling better global climate and pollution models for better prediction of weather and pollution, better management of natural resources and mitigation of natural hazards) and tracking of space debris (increasing safety for space travel and satellite launching). This will lead to greater radar sensitivity, enabling measurement of smaller or more tenuous particulates, with finer resolution, at longer ranges or in a shorter timescale. The technology also has the potential to be applied to the ground based mapping of space debris, a major consideration for all orbiting systems including environmental monitoring satellites.
The high power capability of hundreds watts of the gyro-amplifier in the hundred GHz to 1THz frequency range will allow standoff, real time video rate security imaging and sensing enabling high resolution 3D imaging and highly sensitive sensing of most hidden contrabands such as explosives, illegal drugs and chemical and biological materials. The project has the potential to disrupt a large fraction of the existing X-ray based security market. The research team at Strathclyde is a world leader in this "terahertz amplification" area and can realise the application pull through collaborating with wide UK terahertz imaging and sensing community and industries.
People |
ORCID iD |
Wenlong He (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Donaldson C
(2020)
Upgrades of W-band gyro-TWA system for high PRF operation
Donaldson C
(2016)
Wide-Band ${\hbox{HE}}_{11}$ Mode Terahertz Wave Windows for Gyro-Amplifiers
in IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology
Donaldson C
(2018)
CNC Machined Helically Corrugated Interaction Region for a THz Gyrotron Traveling Wave Amplifier
in IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology
He W
(2017)
Broadband Amplification of Low-Terahertz Signals Using Axis-Encircling Electrons in a Helically Corrugated Interaction Region.
in Physical review letters
Description | We designed the gyro-TWA using numerical simulations and the experimental results were found in good agreement with the simulated ones. |
Exploitation Route | The gyro-TWA could be used to build a high resolution radar, wireless mm-wave communications and magnetic resonances. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | CW operation of 94GHz Gyro-TWA for telecommunications applications |
Amount | £364,602 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/P001890/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 01/2020 |
Description | STFC Global Challenge Concepts, PI Dr. Wenlong He |
Amount | £62,100 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/M007278/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2015 |
End | 12/2015 |
Description | STFC Innovation Partnership Scheme, PI Dr. Wenlong He |
Amount | £449,300 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/P001890/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 01/2020 |
Description | STFC follow-on grant, PI Dr. Wenlong He, Development of a W-band gyro-amplifier for high power, wideband pulsed coherent application |
Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/N002326/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2015 |
End | 05/2016 |
Title | Copper deposition of 3-fold helically corrugated waveguide |
Description | A positive 3-fold aluminium mandrel was designed at Strathclyde, manufactured the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and electrochemically deposited at the University of Strathclyde with aluminium was then dissolved away leaving the hollow helically corrugated waveguide beam wave interaction region. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Dr. Wenlong He's team at the University of Strathclyde are developing the copper deposition techniques needed to manufacture the helically corrugated waveguide beam/wave interaction region of the gyro-TWA. |
URL | http://www.terahertz.co.uk/ |
Title | Measurement of components of a W-band gyro-amplifier using VNA |
Description | Input coupler, beam tube, mode converter horns and multilayer window were calibrated and their microwave properties were measured by a W-band VNA. The setup and results are recorded in this report. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This results has resulted in a new STFC grant "CW operation of 94GHz Gyro-TWA for telecommunications applications", ST/P001890/1, £364,602 awarded. The results was also used to apply an EPSRC Established Carrer Fellowship submitted in Feb 2017. |
URL | https://pure.strath.ac.uk/admin/editor/dk/atira/pure/modules/datasets/external/model/dataset/editor/... |
Description | MARTHA Network |
Organisation | Bruker Corporation |
Department | Bruker BioSpin |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | This research successfully confirmed numerical simulations that it is possible to design a high quality cusp electron beam for a terahertz amplifier. This gave us confidence in preparation of the MARTHA network |
Collaborator Contribution | proposal writing in the areas of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. |
Impact | THz is preparing another grants application with a subcontract to the PI |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | MARTHA Network |
Organisation | ETH Zurich |
Department | Department of Materials |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This research successfully confirmed numerical simulations that it is possible to design a high quality cusp electron beam for a terahertz amplifier. This gave us confidence in preparation of the MARTHA network |
Collaborator Contribution | proposal writing in the areas of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. |
Impact | THz is preparing another grants application with a subcontract to the PI |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | MARTHA Network |
Organisation | Radboud University Nijmegen |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This research successfully confirmed numerical simulations that it is possible to design a high quality cusp electron beam for a terahertz amplifier. This gave us confidence in preparation of the MARTHA network |
Collaborator Contribution | proposal writing in the areas of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. |
Impact | THz is preparing another grants application with a subcontract to the PI |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | MARTHA Network |
Organisation | University of St Andrews |
Department | School of Biology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This research successfully confirmed numerical simulations that it is possible to design a high quality cusp electron beam for a terahertz amplifier. This gave us confidence in preparation of the MARTHA network |
Collaborator Contribution | proposal writing in the areas of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. |
Impact | THz is preparing another grants application with a subcontract to the PI |
Start Year | 2015 |
Title | Gyro-TWA for high sensitivity for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) |
Description | The gyro-TWA is a technology with potential to high societal impact, with strong public recognition in the area of well-being and longevity of society: through its high sensitivity Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as methods of biomarkers, imaging and medicine discovery for large numbers of diseases including cancers. |
Type | Diagnostic Tool - Imaging |
Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
Year Development Stage Completed | 2017 |
Development Status | Actively seeking support |
Impact | Active support is being sought to develop higher frequency gyro-TWA's up to 1.2THz as there is a significant application for these terahertz amplifiers in NMR, EPR and medical imaging. |
URL | http://thzpower.com/about.html |
Company Name | Thz Power Ltd |
Description | |
Year Established | 2016 |
Impact | The company will commercialize mm-wave amplifier technology as a key device for the next generation wireless telecommunication and DNP/EPR instruments. |
Website | http://www.insight-product.com |
Description | Demonstration of W-band gyro-TWA for telecommunication application |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | 3 professional staff from Keysight Technolofies joined us in measurement of the phase noise and linearity of the guro-TWA. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Lab demonstration of the gyro-TWA for application of frequency-moduled signal |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The gyro-TWA abstracts huge interests in the telecommunication and magnetic resonance communities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | Plenary talk at the 2016 IEEE UK-Europe-China Workshop on Millimeter Waves and THz Technologies (IEEE UCMMT 2016) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | I gave a plenary talk at the 9th IEEE UK-Europe-China Workshop on Millimeter Waves and THz Technologies (IEEE UCMMT 2016) in Qingdao, China during 5-7 September, 2016. It is a unique forum for presenting advances in millimeter waves and THz technologies as well as facilitating collaboration and exchange opportunities between the UK, mainland Europe and China. I gave one of the 4 invited keynote plenary talks titled "Strathclyde millimetre wave and THz source research" in a conference consisting of 110 oral presentation (22 invited papers) in 12 oral sessions and 2 poster sessions. The outcome that has arisen two visiting scientists to Strathclyde, Dr. Junping Zhao from High Voltage Division, School of Electrical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China and Dr. Wang Li from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://ucmmt2016.com/ |