CAREER: Waveguide-Based Power Combining Architectures Scalable to Submillimeter-Wave Frequencies

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0347469Portions of the electromagnetic spectrum that were once the domain to only astronomy and remote sensing efforts are of growing interest to the scientific, military, and commercial communities. For example, various wideband communication platforms and compact biological and chemical detection devices are being considered for operation at frequencies into the submillimeter-wave range. Perhaps the most formidable obstacle to deploying such high- frequency systems is the lack of compact, low-cost power sources. As the power from a single solid-state device is modest at frequencies approaching the submillimeter-wave range, combining the power from many individual devices often becomes necessary when building sources. The proposed research addresses the issue of establishing such power sources through investigation of novel waveguide-based power combining architectures that can be readily scaled to submillimeter-wave frequencies using low-cost micromachining techniques. The educational activities associated with this CAREER project address the need to: recruit and retain a diverse student population in electrical and computer engineering at Montana State, provide a curriculum that fosters a strong background in high-frequency electronics, inspire undergraduates to pursue further study in graduate school, and provide an opportunity for students to be involved in meaningful research. These goals will be addressed in part through activities that include re-working the introductory electrical engineering course at Montana State, developing an advanced course in radio frequency electronics and sponsoring senior design projects that emphasize high-frequency electronics. As a means to familiarize potential university students with the electrical and computer engineering department at Montana State, the introductory electrical engineering course will be structured to allow for its offering as a distance learning course to high school seniors and community college students. The course will also be used as a vehicle to collaborate with Salish Kootenai College, a tribal college within the state of Montana, in an effort to provide a bridge between two-year tribal colleges and the four-year electrical and computer engineering program at Montana State.