High Performance Millimeter Wave Antennas and Beamforming for Communications and Imaging Applications

在6 GHz以下操作的现有无线技术最近提供了使用包括认知无线电和多天线系统的创新技术的数据密集型系统。然而，这些技术不足以解决未来无线系统的增强数据速率需求的不断指数增长。同时，毫米波（mmWave）频率是未来无线系统的一个关键实现解决方案，并且在无线社区内引起了强烈的兴趣。它们提供了更宽带宽的可用性的优点，并为无线通信提供了额外的频谱。然而，一个缺点是由于在毫米波频带处的高损耗，无线电波在这些频率处的传播特性较弱。这种挑战可以通过使用定向毫米波阵列来克服，该阵列由于波长较小而可以容纳十倍以上的元件，并且可以提供足够的增益以确保接收器处的高信噪比并提高毫米波网络的容量。对于成像系统和雷达应用，毫米波还提供高分辨率和灵敏度。 拟议研究计划的主要目标是通过以下方式显著增强毫米波无线通信和成像系统的性能，并提高数据速率和容量： 采用工程电磁结构的波束扫描和多波束的高增益宽带阵列收发机技术的发展和进步 控制无线信道并减轻不利的毫米波高传播和欧姆损耗;以及使用智能天线混合波束成形（HBF）网络的多径衰落效应，该网络受益于模拟和数字波束成形方案。 其目的是推进毫米波技术的最新发展，并更好地了解不同组件的特性，从而提高系统性能。拟议的主要研究方向包括毫米波高增益宽带天线元件，电路，可重构天线阵列和HBF的调查和开发，覆盖多个毫米波频段，以服务于下一代无线通信和成像应用，采用新兴的工程电磁表面技术。它还解决了与毫米波天线和HBF实施相关的挑战，以及如何测量，评估和改进其性能。此外，信号处理技术有关的建议HBF结构将被应用。将进行严格的建模、测试和实施。该计划的共同主题是学习，培训和发展专业知识， 新兴的毫米波无线通信和成像系统。 拟议的研究将在本科生，硕士和博士生以及PDF的培训中发挥关键作用，不仅要建立5G及以后毫米波技术的不同专业知识水平，还要接触无线通信和传感科学。

Existing wireless technologies operating below 6 GHz have recently offered data intensive systems using innovative techniques including cognitive radio and multiple antenna systems. However, these techniques are not sufficient to address the ever exponential increase of enhanced data rate needs for future wireless systems. In the meantime, millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies are one key enabling solution for future wireless systems and have attracted a strong interest within the wireless community. They offer the advantage of availability of much wider bandwidth and provide additional spectrum for wireless communications. However, one disadvantage is the weaker propagation characteristics of radio waves at mmWave bands due to high losses at these frequencies. Such a challenge can be overcome by using directive mmWave arrays that can house ten times more elements, due to smaller wavelength and can provide enough gain to ensure high signal to noise ratio at the receiver and boost the capacity of mmWave networks. For imaging systems and radars applications, mmWaves also offer high resolution and sensitivity. The main objective of the proposed research program is to significantly enhance mmWave wireless communication and imaging systems performance and improve both the data rate and capacity through: development and advancement of high gain broadband array transceiver technology for beam scanning and multi-beam employing engineered electromagnetic structures controlling the wireless channel and mitigating the unfavorable mmWave high propagation and ohmic losses; and multipath fading effect using smart antenna hybrid beamforming (HBF) networks that benefit from both analog and digital beamforming schemes. The aim is to advance the state of the art in mmWave technology and develop better understanding of different components' characteristics leading to improved system performance. The proposed main research thrusts include investigation and development of mmWave high gain broadband antenna elements, circuits, reconfigurable antenna arrays, and HBF that cover multiple mmWave frequency bands to serve next generation wireless communication and imaging applications employing emerging engineered electromagnetic surface technology. It also addresses challenges associated with implementation of mmWave antennas and HBF, and how their performance can be measured, assessed and improved. In addition, signal processing techniques pertinent to the proposed HBF structure will be applied. Rigorous modeling, testing, and implementation will be performed. The common theme of this program is learning, training, and developing expertise for emerging mmWave wireless communication and imaging systems. The proposed research will play a key role in training of undergrad, MSc and PhD students, and PDFs through building not only different levels of expertise in mmWave technologies for 5G and beyond, but also exposure to wireless communication and sensing science.