Collaborative Research: Enabling Technology for MIMO Systems on Mobile Devices: Antennas, Switches, and Packaging

[500860]多输入多输出（MIMO）系统有望显著提高当前无线连接的容量。未来在便携式设备上实现多输入多输出（MIMO）系统，如果要实现承诺的容量增加，将需要新的天线系统设计方法。特别是，以传统方式将天线集成到便携式封装中可能严重限制MIMO系统的性能。由于天线将共享一个封装，除非系统设计得当，否则感应机箱电流可能导致传播通道之间更高甚至不可接受的相关性。此外，一旦固定天线集成到机箱中，它们的覆盖范围和与其他天线的耦合也是固定的。PIs的工作旨在开发和演示专门为MIMO系统设计的集成、低成本可重构天线系统，以避免这些缺陷。PIs建议开发用于便携式MIMO系统的低成本集成可重构天线技术，采用整体方法，以最小的成本实现独立、不相关的信道。为了使该项目对未来的无线系统产生最大的影响，他们将把精力集中在两个频段：5-6 GHz ISM频段和60 GHz无牌频段。这项工作将包括三个相互关联的重点，在此总结。推进一：用于MIMO系统的模式可重构天线：将开发和设计配备射频微机电系统（MEMS）开关的单个模式可重构天线，通过考虑可能或预期的MIMO无线信道，在集成场景中提供特定的辐射模式。推力II：为可重构天线设计和实现的射频MEMS开关：这里开发的开关将使用新的低成本有机液晶聚合物（LCP）基板，并将专门为这些天线设计，以最大限度地提高其可重构性，并最大限度地减少包装和偏置效应等的不良行为。推力三：便携式MIMO天线系统的封装、集成和评估：这里专门为MIMO操作开发的射频mems装备天线系统的封装和集成新技术将提供丰富的实验框架，其中可以测量和评估有关实际MIMO系统的能力和局限性的新想法。对未来高容量无线通信系统的影响这里开发的便携式、可重构的低成本基板无线MIMO系统将有可能彻底改变信息交换方式、并行计算方式以及数据处理或挖掘方式。此外，新的可重构天线、射频MEMS开关、有机基板处理以及封装和集成技术将从该项目中脱颖而出，这将导致无线通信、传感器网络和控制等其他领域的进步。更广泛的影响为了扩大这个项目的影响，研究人员将采取几个协调的步骤，让本科生和代表性不足的群体成员参与这个研究项目。具体而言，他们将开展本科生研究人员暑期交流，在其研究小组中招募和指导女性和少数民族学生，并指导本科生进行可能导致研究生学习的相关高级设计项目。

0500860PapapolymerouMultiple input-multiple output (MIMO) systems promise the ability to dramatically increase the capacity of current wireless connections. Future implementations of multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) systems on portable devices will require new approaches to antenna system design if they are to deliver promised capacity increases. In particular, integrating antennas into portable packages in a traditional way may severely constrain MIMO system performance. Since the antennas will share a package, induced chassis currents may result in higher or even unacceptable correlation between propagation channels unless the system is designed properly. Moreover, once fixed antennas are integrated into a chassis, their coverage area and coupling to other antennas is also fixed. The PIs work aims to develop and demonstrate integrated, low cost reconfigurable antenna systems that are designed specifically for MIMO systems to avoid these pitfalls. Intellectual Merit The PIs propose the development of low cost integrated reconfigurable antenna technology for portable MIMO systems, taking a holistic approach that keeps the goal -- independent, uncorrelated channels achieved with minimal expense -- in the foreground. To position the project to have the greatest impact on future wireless systems, They will concentrate their efforts in two frequency bands: 5-6 GHz ISM band and 60 GHz unlicensed band. The work will consist of three inter-related thrusts, which are summarized here. Thrust I: Pattern Reconfigurable Antennas for MIMO Systems: Individual pattern reconfigurable antennas equipped with RF micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switches will be developed and designed to deliver specific radiation patterns in integrated scenarios by considering likely or intended MIMO wireless channels. Thrust II: RF MEMS Switches Designed for and Implemented in Reconfigurable Antennas: The switches developed here will use new, low cost organic liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrates and will be designed specifically for these antennas to maximize their reconfigurability and minimize undesired behavior from packaging and bias effects, etc. Thrust III: Packaging, Integration, and Evaluation of Portable MIMO Antenna Systems: New techniques for packaging and integration of the RF MEMS-equipped antenna systems developed here specifically for MIMO operation will provide a rich experimental framework in which new ideas about the capabilities and limitations of practical MIMO systems can be measured and assessed. Impact on Future High Capacity Wireless Communication Systems The portable, reconfigurable wireless MIMO systems on low cost substrates developed here will have the potential to revolutionize how information is exchanged, how parallel computations are conducted, and how data is processed or mined. Additionally, the new reconfigurable antennas, RF MEMS switches, organic substrate processing, and packaging and integration techniques that will emerge from the project will lead to advances in other areas of wireless communication, sensor networks, and control. Broader Impact To expand the impact of this project, the investigators will take several coordinated steps to involve undergraduates and members of underrepresented groups in this research project. Specifically, they will conduct undergraduate researcher summer exchanges, recruit and mentor women and minority students in their research groups, and guide undergraduates in related senior design projects that may lead to graduate studies.