Innovative agile-antenna solutions for millimeter-wave wireless communications

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Wireless communication systems are experiencing a substantial demand in data rates due to a large number of emerging applications that include mobile communications, data transfer and intelligent transport. This very large data traffic is expected to continue increasing in the next decade. To achieve this high data traffic, a first alternative using more advanced diversity techniques and coding techniques has been proposed to improve the spectral efficiency of the current mobile networks, operating in microwave bands under 6GHz. However, this conventional option is significantly limited by fundamental limits on hardware implementation and channel conditions. The second alternative is to explore using mm-wave bands in order to take advantage of the wide spectrum bands available from 30 GHz up to 95 GHz and even beyond to provide multi-Gbps broadband access to mobile users. With this feature, mm-wave bands are seen as key technology enablers for future 5G wireless mobile networks. However at mm-wave bands, wireless communication systems using conventional antenna systems suffer from high path loss, which reduces their performances significantly in terms of coverage and capacity. To overcome these challenges, we propose in this project to develop advanced agile antennas with beamforming capability using novel active electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structures, which present an attractive solution to future mm-wave wireless communications.** The proposed project will take advantage of our research team's strong expertise in both antenna design and electromagnetic band gap structures. Research efforts will be oriented towards the design of new mm-wave active EBG structures in order to use them for developing novel agile antennas with beam scanning functionality for wireless communications at mm-wave bands. The new knowledge that will emerge from this project and the training of highly qualified personnel associated to the different stages of this work will certainly contribute to enhance Canada's global competitiveness in this high-technology sector.**********************