Pervasive Integrated Millimeter Wave Systems Technology
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Electronics, Elec Eng & Comp Sci
Abstract
Pervasive Integrated Millimeter Wave Systems Technology offers immense potential for inventive research and industrial deployment in areas as diverse as environmental monitoring, terrorist countermeasures, vehicular radar, and high capacity broadband wireless data links. The aim of this platform grant is to provide the means for a strategic repositioning of the research efforts of the Queens High Frequency Research Laboratories so that a holistic integrated mm-wave system perspective can be incorporated and eventually dominate our activities. This effort would include broadening of our research base in order to enhance interdisciplinary activity with other mm-wave biased research and commercial organizations as well as to form multidisciplinary liaisons. The creation of a framework for the structured development of advanced integrated mm-wave applications which is underpinned by a coherent enabling technology portfolio offers a unique opportunity to facilitate significantly strengthened leading edge research effort in a difficult and extensively unexplored domain. This will position us as a major center for millimeter wave research in the global community and a reference point for industry. Platform funding is requested to the value of 691K for a 48 month programme. This will help to retain 9 key staff in the area of millimeter wave research, and to engage a new research worker. Two major new research initiatives will be instigated as a result of this grant in the areas of integrated circuit chip/package co-design and advanced active electromagnetic synthetic materials. The funding will also be used to create international links with a number of major industrial and academic partners. This will lead to exchange of research staff and participation in international research programmes. It is estimated that this platform grant will leverage further funding this will be used to expand to our research portfolio and employ additional workers .
Publications
Barakat A
(2017)
Toward a More Generalized Doherty Power Amplifier Design for Broadband Operation
in IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
Barakat A
(2018)
A High-Efficiency GaN Doherty Power Amplifier With Blended Class-EF Mode and Load-Pull Technique
in IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs
Bastioli S
(2010)
Ultra-compact highly-selective dual-mode pseudoelliptic filters
in Electronics Letters
Berenguer A
(2016)
Propagation Characteristics of Groove Gap Waveguide Below and Above Cutoff
in IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
Buchanan N
(2016)
Injection-locked oscillator lock detector
in Electronics Letters
| Description | The work lead to a new research application in 5G millimetre wave MIMO, EP/P000623/1 Low Complexity Processing for MM-Wave MIMO |
| Exploitation Route | The work can be used by people interested in designing and making prototype millimetre wave systems |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Electronics,Transport |
| URL | http://www.ECIT.qub.ac.uk |
| Description | Creation of large body of knowledge archived in top class international Journals and conference proceedings . Follow on study on retro directive arrays in association with the European Space Agency in Ka Ku band under investigation. World leading research activity in advanced millimeter wave technologies related to circuit architectures, custom chip design, integrated antennas and packaging have occured. Aspects of the work have been made available through an active technology transfer programme and several technologies have been adopted by UK and EU industry. Beneficiaries: International academic community and technology transfer to UK and EU industry Contribution Method: Enhanced expertise and design capability in custom mm-wave MMIC design. Advanced manufacturing capability and design in micromachined FSS. Leading edge technology transfer of passive intermodulation mitigation strategies. New start up company Lamhroe Ltd , using skills set dervied from this project to (a) create design service for mm-wave custom ICs for leading EU GaAs foundry, (b) to create advanced micromachined frequency selective surfaces for the UK/EU space effort. (c) to produce specialised microwave based security products. Beneficiaries: UK/ EU industry Contribution Method: New MMIc chips for advanced radar applications, new Frequency selective sufaces for enhnaced climate monitoring, new type of perimeter defence sensor |
| First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
| Sector | Education,Electronics |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) |
| Amount | £460,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/G034303/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2009 |
| End | 03/2014 |
| Description | Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) |
| Amount | £2,700,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/H049606/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2010 |
| End | 06/2014 |
| Description | ESF Network of Excellence, New Focus |
| Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 11/2011 |
| End | 11/2012 |
| Description | ESF Network of Excellence, New Focus |
| Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 11/2011 |
| End | 11/2012 |
| Description | Electromagnetic Characterization of Nanostructured Materials |
| Amount | £49,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 218696 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 04/2007 |
| End | 03/2011 |
| Description | Electromagnetic Characterization of Nanostructured Materials |
| Amount | £49,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 218696 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 04/2007 |
| End | 03/2011 |
| Description | Frequency Selective Surface Filter Technology for sub-millimeter wave and THz radiometers |
| Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | UK Centre for Earth Observation |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Department | MRC National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2009 |
| End | 01/2010 |
| Description | MM-wave Gigabit Radio |
| Amount | £1,245,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 07/2008 |
| End | 04/2012 |
| Description | MM-wave Gigabit Radio |
| Amount | £1,245,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 07/2008 |
| End | 04/2012 |
| Description | MM-wave Plasmonic Interconnects, |
| Amount | £67,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Samsung |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Start | 09/2010 |
| End | 09/2011 |
| Description | MM-wave Plasmonic Interconnects, |
| Amount | £67,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Samsung |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Start | 09/2010 |
| End | 09/2011 |
| Description | Mobile Wireless Futures, A Programme of Excellence for Ultra-high Speed mobile Wireless System |
| Amount | £1,170,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Government of Northern Ireland |
| Department | Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland (DELNI) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2009 |
| End | 04/2011 |
| Description | Mobile Wireless Futures, A Programme of Excellence for Ultra-high Speed mobile Wireless System |
| Amount | £1,170,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Government of Northern Ireland |
| Department | Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland (DELNI) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2009 |
| End | 04/2011 |
| Description | Multiband Satellite Antenna Feed |
| Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Global Invacom |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Singapore |
| Start | 04/2009 |
| End | 07/2012 |
| Description | Multiband Satellite Antenna Feed |
| Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Global Invacom |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Singapore |
| Start | 04/2009 |
| End | 07/2012 |
| Description | Quasi-optical filter for Post -EPS mission - Phase 2 |
| Amount | £206,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Space Agency |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | France |
| Start | 12/2010 |
| End | 11/2011 |
| Description | Quasi-optical filter for Post -EPS mission - Phase 2 |
| Amount | £206,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Space Agency |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | France |
| Start | 12/2010 |
| End | 11/2011 |
| Description | Reconfigurable Systems Using Liquid Crystals |
| Amount | £175,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Space Agency |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | France |
| Start | 03/2011 |
| End | 05/2012 |
| Description | Reconfigurable Systems Using Liquid Crystals |
| Amount | £175,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Space Agency |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | France |
| Start | 03/2011 |
| End | 05/2012 |
| Description | Research Exchange with China-India |
| Amount | £14,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2009 |
| End | 12/2009 |
| Description | Satellite Communications Antennas |
| Amount | £39,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | EADS Astrium |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | France |
| Start | 06/2011 |
| End | 12/2011 |
| Description | Satellite Communications Antennas |
| Amount | £39,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Airbus Group |
| Department | Airbus Defence & Space |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 06/2011 |
| End | 12/2011 |
| Description | Self Focusing Retro Reflective Tx/Rx Antennas for Mobile Terminal Applications |
| Amount | £140,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Space Agency |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | France |
| Start | 11/2009 |
| End | 12/2011 |
| Description | Self Focusing Retro Reflective Tx/Rx Antennas for Mobile Terminal Applications |
| Amount | £140,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Space Agency |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | France |
| Start | 11/2009 |
| End | 12/2011 |
| Description | ATMEL |
| Organisation | Atmel |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Measurement of SiGe transistor characteristics to W-band. QUB measured a series of SiGe transistor types with a view to establishing thier upper frequency limit for a variety of MM-wave circuit architectures which where estimated to be developed under the Platform Grant. |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Description | Astrium EADS |
| Organisation | Airbus Group |
| Department | Airbus Defence & Space |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Working partnership to develop filter parts for spacebourne radiometers. Working in collaboartaion we have developed a series of flight protoyype frequency selective surfaces for instrument evaluation. |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Collaboration with Infineon AG |
| Organisation | Infineon Technologies |
| Department | Infineon Technologies AG Development Center Villach |
| Country | Austria |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Design of advanced V and W band SiGe mm-wave circuits. Started as informal un-funded collaboartion on mm-wave MMIC design, with Infineon providing QUB with free foundry runs. matured into 4 year Marie Curie collaboartion to design Gigabit Wirelkess radios at V and W band. |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Description | Millimeter wave user group |
| Organisation | National Physical Laboratory |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | To create and operate a UK based user group network of workers interested in millimeter wave technology. The Platform grant team agreed that rather than forming a seperate mm-wave user group we should join together with NPL who were forming a similar user group at the same time as the Platfrom grant was announced. In this way best synergy was formed and resources maximised. Several events a year, each attracting industrial and academic personell, are held across the UK (including two in Belfast to Oct 2011). |
| Start Year | 2008 |
| Description | Tyndall Institute |
| Organisation | University College Cork |
| Department | Tyndall National Institute |
| Country | Ireland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of mm-wave consumer biased packaging solutions. Created a number of silicion and non silicon based packaging solutions for mm-wave chip packaging for the consumer market place. |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Title | Class E power amplifier circuit and associated transmitter circuits |
| Description | A class E power amplifier circuit comprising an active device, a DC blocking element and an oscillating element, wherein the oscillating element is driven by a voltage signal. |
| IP Reference | US2005218977 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2005 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | lead to novel type of amplifier being co-developed with industry |
| Title | Frequency Selective Surfaces |
| Description | A freestanding frequency selective surface (FSS) is provided which comprises at least one shorted resonance aperture element ( 12 ). The shorted resonance aperture element provides a sensitivity to polarisation. The shorted resonance aperture element may comprise at least one short, which may enable the FSS to be freestanding. The invention further provides an FSS device comprising at least one array of the freestanding frequency selective surfaces, and a method of forming the freestanding frequency selective surfaces. |
| IP Reference | US2008204355 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2008 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | new type of manufacturing for frequency selective surface |
| Title | IMPROVEMENTS IN OFDM COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS |
| Description | The present disclosure is related to a transmitter, a receiver, a method for transmitting information, and a method of receiving information in a system which simplifies receiver structure and improves the performance in an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) system. The transmitter comprises a module for generating a passive phase conjugation probe signal for transmission. The receiver comprises a passive phase conjugation module. The method for transmitting information comprises generating a passive phase conjugation probe signal for transmission. The method for receiving information comprises extracting OFDM symbols from a received signal using a method which comprises performing passive phase conjugation on the received signal. |
| IP Reference | WO2012035345 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2012 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | new type of complexity reduction fro wireless communication systems |
| Title | Modulation apparatus and method |
| Description | new method for encoding data onto a wireless link |
| IP Reference | EP1481521 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2004 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | none |
| Title | Modulator/transmitter apparatus and method |
| Description | Method and apparatus for providing an amplified modulated radio frequency signal, the method comprising the steps of providing a radio frequency (RF) oscillatory signal, generating from the RF oscillatory signal and an input signal a pair of phase modulated phase conjugated signals, and summing said pair of signals to provide the desired modulated RF signal output. A form of the invention is applied to digital modulation using in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) input signals. Each of the I and Q signals is processed in a respective channel, with the channel outputs being summed. The channels share an RF oscillatory signal, which is phase shifted by 90 degrees within the Q channel. |
| IP Reference | US2005152469 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2005 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | Simplified modulator at mm-wavelengths developed with industry |
| Title | OBJECT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD |
| Description | An identification system and method of use thereof is provided, the system (1) comprising at least one transceiver cell (3) comprising an antenna component (7) which receives a part of an incoming signal (11) from an object (13), and a processor which processes the part of the incoming signal to extract identification information of the object, wherein the processor comprises a frequency downconverter/mixer unit comprising a coupler which produces first and second phase quadrature signals, a first mixer which receives the first signal and mixes it with the part of the incoming signal to produce a first output signal comprising object identification information, and a second mixer which receives the second signal and mixes it with the part of the incoming signal to produce a second output signal comprising object identification information, a phase shifter which receives the second output signal and adds a 90 degree phase shift to the signal to produce a phase shifted second output signal comprising the object identification information, a sideband signal filter which receives the first output signal from the frequency downconverter/mixer unit and receives the phase shifted second output signal from the phase shifter, and operates to produce a sideband signal of the part of the incoming signal which comprises the object identification information, and an object identification component which receives the sideband signal from the sideband signal filter, extracts the object identification information therefrom, and uses the object identification information to identify the object. |
| IP Reference | WO2009156762 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2009 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | new method for tracking objects |
| Title | RETRODIRECTIVE ANTENNA SYSTEMS |
| Description | A retrodirective antenna system (1) for receiving an incoming signal (15) from an object (13) and directing an outgoing signal (11) back to the object (13), comprising two or more transceiver cells (3), each of which receives a part of the incoming signal, produces a phase conjugate output signal, which output signals from the cells combine to form an outgoing signal (11) directed back to the object (13), wherein each transceiver cell (3) comprises an antenna component (7) which detects the part of the incoming signal, a processor which receives the part of the incoming signal and produces first and second same-side, sideband (SB) signals of the part of the incoming signal, a phase shift system comprising a first phase element which receives the first SB signal and outputs a SB signal having a first phase, and a second phase element which receives the second SB signal and outputs a SB signal having a second phase which is in quadrature with the first phase, and an IQ modulator comprising an I input port, a Q input port and a phase adjuster, which receives the SB signal having the first phase on the I input port and the SB signal having the second phase on the Q input port, or receives the SB signal having the first phase on the Q input port and the SB signal having the second phase on the I input port, and phase adjusts the SB signals to produce an output signal which is the phase conjugate of the part of the incoming signal. |
| IP Reference | US2012013507 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2012 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | lead to further work with ESA |
| Title | FSS for remote earth sensing |
| Description | New class of micromachined FSS making remote earth sensing equipment more sensitive.http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/Publications/casestudies/IMPACTCaseStudy19Weather.pdf |
| Type Of Technology | Physical Model/Kit |
| Title | Microsense Microwave Fence |
| Description | The MicroSense microwave barrier is one of the most reliable and safe intrusion detectors used for outdoor perimeter protection to date. The operation of the microwave barrier is very simple. The type of device develops an electromagnetic beam using high frequency waves that passes from a transmitter to a receiver, creating an invisible but sensitive protection wall. http://microwavefence.com/ |
| Type Of Technology | Systems, Materials & Instrumental Engineering |
| Company Name | Lamhroe Ltd |
| Description | New spin out company currently employing four people whose activities include design of GaAs mm-wave MMIC chips for leading EU foundry, microwave based security products |
| Year Established | 2009 |
| Impact | Spin out company using IP generated from patent filing on retrodirective antennas resulting from this platform grant, also employing highly trained PhD graduates trained within the platform grant operating duration. |
| Company Name | Microsense Ltd |
| Description | microwave security |
| Year Established | 2012 |
| Impact | slow fale alarm microwave fence on market |
| Description | Engagement with Industry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | discussion afterwards new contacts in industry |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
| Description | IET AP Exec. Committee |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | Participants in your research or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | IET AP Exec. Committe responsible for maintaining professional activity for UK and International Antennas and Propagation Community . |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | IET Antennas and Propagation Exec Committee |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | Participants in your research or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Provides structured professional activity via national and international confernces as well as advising on policy and prizes in the area of antennas and propagation. Has orgainsed as well as sponsored a number of national and international workshops , seminars etc, nationally and internationally see http://www.theiet.org/. Awarding Body - IET, Name of Scheme - Executive Committee |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | IET RF and Microwave Technology Exec Committee |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | Participants in your research or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Professional forum for RF and Microwave Technoloy responsibel for improving visibility and professional acitivity in this discipline of electronics Has established professional network and has orgainsed numerous national and international workshops, conferences and seminars. see www.theiet.org. Awarding Body - IET, Name of Scheme - Exec. Committee |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| Description | Metamorphose VI |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | Participants in your research or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Virtual Institute for Artificial Electromagnetic Materials and Metamaterials. Metamorphose VI a non-profit making orgainsation responsible for promotion of metamaterials. organises national and international conferences and workshops. Virtual Institute for Artificial Electromagnetic Materials and Metamaterials "Metamorphose VI a non-profit making orgainsation responsible for promotion of metamaterials. http://www.metamorphose-vi.org/. has orgainsed a number of national and international conferences , workshops, etc.. Awarding Body - Metamorphose, Name of Scheme - Virtual Institute for Artificial Electromagnetic Materials and Metamaterials |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | NPL Millimetre-Wave Users Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | Participants in your research or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | The Millimetre-Wave Users Group was set up for people and organisations interested in the mm- and sub-mm-wave bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, i.e. typically from 50 GHz to 500 GHz. QUB have taken an active lead role in the running of various meetings approximately eleven to date, including two at QUB. Our participation here is critical to maintaining UK cohesion in mm-wave technology and represents best synergy in line with the user group concept outlined in the original grant proposal.. Awarding Body - NPL, Name of Scheme - MM-users Group |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |