Wave Amplitude and Phase Manipulable Microwave Transmission Line

波幅和相位可操纵微波传输线

• 批准号: 2247470
• 负责人: Jun Choi
• 金额: $ 39.21万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Buffalo
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-15 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2247470&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Wave; Amplitude; Phase; Manipulable; Microwave

Currently, the most popular types of transmission lines (TLs) in high-frequency circuits include microstrip lines, coplanar waveguides, and striplines. Low cost and low-profile form factors have made them popular over the years. Although they are relatively low-loss, their non-manipulable dispersion properties do not allow much design freedom. For these reasons, in many situations, the conventional TLs are becoming a major bottleneck of utilizing available spectrum, enhancing system functionalities, and size reduction of the microwave circuits and systems. The metamaterial transmission line (MTL) concept, first introduced in the early 21st century, delivers improved control in manipulating the phase of the electromagnetic (EM) wave and in miniaturizing the circuit and system dimensions. In particular, the dispersion engineering feature of MTL has revolutionized microwave circuit design techniques and produced numerous novel components and systems. However, the non-negligible loss and inability to control the amplitude of the wave have been the MTL's main weakness, preventing the technology transfer to practical real-world applications. This research will establish a new set of theories that enable the control of the EM wave amplitude and phase to transform the next-generation TL technology. This new category of transmission lines, the active MTLs, may eventually serve as the most versatile transmission line solution to help alleviate ever increasing technological demand for enhanced data capacity, higher spatial resolution, multi-functionalities, and smaller circuit and system dimensions. This work has the potential to open new horizons in the field of microwave engineering and to bridge many future applications into reality, e.g., adaptable beam forming antennas for automotive collision avoidance radars. The educational and outreach plan of this project focuses on encouraging professionals from industry to participate in metamaterial research activities and lead the technology transfer to the industry. In addition, seminar series will be organized in collaboration with local industries and museums to promote metamaterial technology and the STEM fields in general. The objective of this proposal is to establish new theoretical foundations that will reveal the potentials and limitations of active MTLs and enhance the transmission characteristics and reconfigurability of high-frequency EM waves. To establish the principles and evaluate the feasibility of the new active MTL structure, transistor-based negative resistance elements will be incorporated to compensate the loss of lossy shunt inductors which are elemental components of MTL, in particular for composite right/left-handed (CRLH) transmission lines. This approach minimally interferes with the wave propagating through the MTL, thus can retain all desired metamaterial characteristics. The fundamental research and demonstration of the proposed transistor-based negative-resistance CRLH transmission line will be the first to be attempted. If successful, the proposed MTL will provide unprecedented control of both radiated waves and guided waves and overcome the inherent loss and non-reconfigurability problems that have plagued MTLs for over a decade. The project outcome will provide a significant scientific leap in metamaterial technology, establishing the principles and the feasibility of new technologies for future MTL-based devices and systems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

目前，高频电路中最常用的传输线类型包括微带线、共面波导和带状线。低成本和低姿态的外形因素使它们多年来很受欢迎。虽然它们的损耗相对较低，但其不可操纵的色散特性不允许有太多的设计自由度。由于这些原因，在许多情况下，传统的TL正在成为利用可用频谱、增强系统功能以及减小微波电路和系统尺寸的主要瓶颈。超材料传输线（MTL）概念于21世纪初首次引入，在操纵电磁（EM）波的相位以及简化电路和系统尺寸方面提供了改进的控制。特别是，MTL的色散工程特性彻底改变了微波电路设计技术，并产生了许多新颖的组件和系统。然而，不可忽略的损失和无法控制波的振幅一直是MTL的主要弱点，阻碍了技术转移到实际的现实世界应用。这项研究将建立一套新的理论，使电磁波的振幅和相位的控制，以改变下一代TL技术。这种新型传输线，即有源MTL，最终可能成为最通用的传输线解决方案，以帮助缓解对增强数据容量、更高空间分辨率、多功能性以及更小电路和系统尺寸的不断增长的技术需求。这项工作有可能在微波工程领域开辟新的视野，并将许多未来的应用连接到现实中，例如，用于汽车防撞雷达的自适应波束形成天线。该项目的教育和推广计划侧重于鼓励行业专业人员参与超材料研究活动，并引导技术向行业转移。此外，还将与当地行业和博物馆合作举办系列研讨会，以推广超材料技术和STEM领域。本提案的目的是建立新的理论基础，将揭示的潜力和局限性的有源MTLs和提高高频电磁波的传输特性和可重构。为了建立新的有源MTL结构的原则和评估的可行性，晶体管为基础的负电阻元件将被纳入到补偿损耗并联电感器的损耗，这是MTL的基本组件，特别是复合右/左手（CRLH）传输线。这种方法最小地干扰通过MTL传播的波，因此可以保留所有期望的超材料特性。基于晶体管的负阻CRLH传输线的基础研究和示范将是第一次尝试。如果成功，拟议的MTL将提供对辐射波和导波的前所未有的控制，并克服困扰MTL十多年来的固有损耗和不可重构性问题。该项目的成果将在超材料技术方面实现重大的科学飞跃，为未来基于MTL的设备和系统建立新技术的原理和可行性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。