Advanced electromagnetic surfaces for next-generation communications systems

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Wireless communication systems continue to develop at a remarkable pace, providing ubiquitous connectivity, unprecedented data rates, and ever-growing user capacity. Nevertheless, the continued growth of these systems is irrevocably tied to the availability of radio spectrum. Expansion of wireless capacity can be facilitated through increased frequency re-use, exploiting broader bandwidth devices for communications, and increased system awareness and adaptation to spectrum utilization. The use of advanced electromagnetic surfaces (AESs) is proposed in this grant to devise new communication devices that will radically enhance the capacity of next-generation spaceborne and terrestrial communications systems. These surfaces, which are composed of periodic arrangements of metallic scatterers, permit the sophisticated manipulation of radio waves to realize a wide range of polarization-selective, frequency-selective, and reconfigurable surfaces for both space and terrestrial applications. These surfaces will be explored and developed in a multi-faceted research consortium consisting of the University of Toronto, École Polytechnique de Montréal, three industry members, and a federal government research lab. In space, and in conjunction with MDA, advanced multi-band, dual-polarization, multi-beam, and reconfigurable satellite antennas derived from AESs will be devised for increasing link capacity. In terrestrial applications, multi-band and reconfigurable AESs have major potential for use as building materials for "smart buildings" that allow wireless signal propagation within building to be highly tailored for increasing capacity and adapting to wireless traffic conditions. These AESs will be explored with Siradel and the Communications Research Centre Canada. Finally, the computer analysis and design of AESs poses many challenges that will be addressed in this grant through the development of accelerated computer tools in conjunction with IDS North America. Collectively, the research will train HQP and contribute IP to industries that collective contribute nearly $100 billion to Canada's GDP each year.