CAREER: Flexible, Ultra-Thin, Packaged Antennas and Arrays for Next Generation Wireless Applications

这项研究的主要目标是调查、制造和评估用于下一代无线应用的灵活、超薄、封装的天线和阵列。这样的天线和阵列将用于用于病原体和生物制剂检测的无线微型传感器，用于E-911(紧急911)集成的超薄、轻便、用于位置识别的移动电话，以及用于警察、消防员和救护车人员的可穿戴、超薄、多功能无线设备，以确保增强“国土安全”。灵活的超薄封装天线也将在微型超薄GPS(全球定位系统)和RFID(射频识别设备)模块的开发中发挥重要作用，这些模块用于植入绝症患者(阿尔茨海默病患者)和残疾人的皮肤下，以精确定位他们的位置并监测他们的情况。天线研究的当前技术水平没有解决与灵活、超薄、封装设计相关的挑战，这些挑战包括窄带宽(由于厚度减小)、图案和极化退化(由于接近金属和显示器)以及增益损失(由于接近损耗材料)。需要进行基础研究，以了解各种天线配置在封装/嵌入前后的基本特性，以便针对和解决诸如更宽带宽、更高增益、最佳方向图覆盖和良好轴比(对于圆极化天线)的设计等问题。为了实现这些目标，在封装/嵌入之前和之后，将主要在柔性基板(薄膜柔性聚合物和液晶聚合物(LCP))上制造和研究各种天线配置，包括非传统谐振和非谐振缝隙、超薄贴片和PIFA(平面倒F天线)。天线也将在独特的改装印刷电路板上进行研究，以在不牺牲性能的情况下显著减少厚度。将探索用于E-911集成移动电话、可穿戴设备以及植入的GPS和RFID模块的新型超薄圆极化天线。天线将在制造前使用全波电磁模拟进行研究。在制造时，将对它们的输入阻抗、图案和增益进行表征。这项研究将在用于下一代无线设备的微型、超薄、封装天线和阵列的知识和创新方面带来根本性的进步，这将直接使美国经济受益。这项研究的结果将通过在当地图书馆举办的研讨会、发表在技术文献和非技术文献中的文章、基于网络的数据库、光盘以及通过会议发言来传播。拟议的项目将大大提高南卡罗来纳大学(南卡罗来纳大学)在微波工程方面的研究能力，并提供获得未来有竞争力的联邦拨款以及教育和培训合格的微波工程师所需的基本基础设施。这项建议的教育部分在未来几年的主要内容将包括发展(1)高年级本科生/研究生水平的微波工程实验室课程，(2)微波有源和无源电路设计的研究生课程，以及(3)重组“天线与辐射”的研究生课程，使其同样适合本科生。该项目将积极吸引本科生、高中生、初中和高中教师、女性和代表性不足的少数群体参与，使他们的研究经历令人兴奋、有趣和有益。

0237783AliThe primary objective of this research is to investigate, fabricate, and evaluate flexible, ultra-thin, packaged antennas and arrays for future generation wireless applications. Such antennas and arrays will be needed for use in wireless microsensors for pathogen and bio-agent detection, in E-911 (emergency 911) integrated ultra-thin, lightweight, mobile phones for location identification, and in wearable, ultra-thin, multi-functional wireless devices for the police, firemen, and ambulance personnel to ensure enhanced "homeland security." Flexible, ultra-thin, packaged antennas will also play an important role in the development of miniature, ultra-thin GPS (global positioning system) and RFID (radio frequency identification device) modules for implantation under the skin of the terminally ill (Alzheimer patient) and the disabled to pinpoint their locations and monitor their condition. Current state of the art in antenna research does not address the challenges associated with flexible, ultra-thin, packaged design which include narrow bandwidth (due to reduced thickness), degradation in pattern and polarization (due to proximity to metals and displays), and loss in gain (due to proximity to lossy materials). Fundamental research is required to understand the basic properties of a wide variety of antenna configurations both prior to and after packaging/embedding in order to target and address issues such as, design for broader bandwidth, higher gain, optimum pattern coverage, and good axial ratio (for circularly polarized antennas). To realize these goals, a variety of antenna configurations including non-traditional resonant and non-resonant slots, ultra-thin patches, and PIFAs (planar inverted-F antennas) will be fabricated and studied primarily on flexible substrates (thin-film flexible polymers and liquid crystal polymers (LCPs)) both prior to and after packaging/embedding. Antennas will also be investigated on uniquely modified printed circuit boards to significantly reduce thickness without sacrificing performance. Novel, ultra-thin, circularly polarized antennas will be explored for operation in E-911 integrated mobile phones, in wearable devices, and in implanted GPS and RFID modules. Antennas will be studied using full-wave electromagnetic simulation prior to fabrication. Upon fabrication they will be characterized for input impedance, pattern, and gain. This research will bring forth fundamental advances in knowledge and innovation on miniature, ultra-thin, packaged antennas and arrays for future generation wireless devices, which will directly benefit the U.S. economy. The findings of this research will be disseminated through seminars given in local libraries, articles published in technical and non-technical literature, web-based databases, CD-ROMs, and through conference presentations. The proposed project will significantly enhance capabilities for research in microwave engineering at the University of South Carolina (USC) and provide the basic infrastructure required to obtain future competitive federal grants and to educate and train qualified microwave engineers. The major thrusts of the educational component of this proposal for the next several years will include the development of (1) a senior-year undergraduate/graduate level microwave engineering laboratory course, (2) a graduate course on microwave active and passive circuit design, and (3) the reorganization of a graduate course on "Antennas and Radiation" to make it equally suitable for undergraduates. This project will actively involve undergraduates, high-school students, and middle and high school teachers, female and underrepresented minorities by making their research experiences exciting, fun, and rewarding.