Comprehensive Upgrade of CIARS PNA X Network Analyzers

世界一流的智能天线和无线电系统中心(CIARS)由6个实验室组成，这些实验室为支持无线电科学和技术方面的深远研究提供了综合环境。目前的主要研究焦点是下一代空间和地面通信系统，以及用于广泛的科学、安全和生物医学应用的毫米波(MmW)/太赫兹(THz)传感。 网络分析仪是最基本的测量仪器，目前世界各地的无线电技术集团几乎在所有无线电系统测试中都使用了网络分析仪。两个CIARS网络分析系统(Keysight Technologies公司的PNA-X)，一个用于电路测量，另一个用于天线测试，被许多研究人员和研究生广泛使用。这些网络分析器大约有10年的历史了。两者都缺乏精确度、稳定性和大动态范围，这在我们目前的研究计划中是至关重要的，因为我们正在为下一代电信和传感探索新的无线电和天线技术。NSERC RTI提案的目标是对这两个PNA-X进行全面升级。 这样的测量系统具有无与伦比的精度、灵敏度和宽输入范围，在较高的毫米瓦和太赫兹范围内，目前在校园或该地区还不存在。这给我们目前在移动卫星通信、5G、无人机系统、汽车雷达和生物医学传感器等领域的研究项目造成了重大障碍。缺乏这种能力不仅减缓了我们的学术研究计划，还对与几个领先行业的大型合作项目产生了负面影响。这些公司(和许多其他公司)经常来CIARS执行他们的MMW测量，并依赖于CIARS的基础设施支持。 射频/微波和毫米波(9名教员、3个研究中心、8个研究实验室、90名研究人员和研究生)领域的所有现有研究项目(在校园和当地行业)都将从所要求的升级中受益。 拟议的RTI创造了强大的RF/微波和毫米波/太赫兹测量能力，将为加拿大电信和传感行业针对关键下一代技术的先进研究和开发计划提供重要支持。其中包括5G/6G无线电网络、高吞吐量卫星通信、自动驾驶汽车传感器、生物医学传感和安全成像，到2034年，这些将仅在北美创造500多万个就业机会。在毫米波/太赫兹无线电技术领域，尤其是最先进的测量技术和方法的高度关键领域，越来越缺乏专业知识和HQP，以支持这些具有大量创新产品开发机会的快速增长的市场。在我们升级的CIARS设置上接受培训的HQP将获得这些市场现在和未来所需的知识和实践经验。

The world-class Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems (CIARS) is organized in 6 labs, which provide an integrated environment for supporting far-reaching research in radio science and technologies. Current major research foci are next generation space and terrestrial telecommunication systems, and millimeter-wave (mmW)/Terahert (THz) sensing for a wide range of scientific, security, and bio-medical applications. Network analyzer is the most essential type of measuring instrument, being used in almost every radio system test by any radio technology group around the world these days. Two CIARS network analyzer systems (PNA-X made by Keysight Technologies), one for circuit measurement and the other one for antenna test are intensively used by many researchers and graduate students. These network analyzers are about 10 years old. Both lack the accuracy, stability, and the large dynamic range critically needed in our current research programs, exploring new radio and antenna technologies for next generation telecommunication and sensing. The objective of this NSERC RTI proposal is to comprehensively upgrade these two PNA-X's. Such measurement systems, with unmatched accuracy, sensitivity, and wide range of input, at higher mmW and THz ranges, do not currently exist on campus or in the region. This has caused a significant hurdle in our current research projects in the areas of mobile satellite communication, 5G, UAV-based system, automotive radar, and bio-medical sensor. Lack of access to this capability not only slows our academic research programs, but also negatively impacts large-scale collaborative projects with several leading industries. These companies (and many others) often come to CIARS to perform their mmW measurements, and rely on infrastructure support from CIARS. All current research programs (on campus and at local industries) in the area of RF/Microwave and mmW (9 faculty, three research centers, 8 research laboratories, 90+ researchers and graduate students) will benefit from the requested upgrades. Significant RF/microwave and millimeter-wave/THz measurement capability created by the proposed RTI will provide vital support to Canadian telecommunication and sensing industries advanced research and development plans aiming at critical next generation technologies. These include 5G/6G radio networks, high throughput satellite communications, sensors for autonomous cars, biomedical sensing, and security imaging, which will create more than 5 millions jobs only in North America by 2034. There is an increasing shortage of expertise and HQP in the area of mmW/THz radio technology and particularly highly critical area of state-of-the-art measurement techniques and methodologies to support these fast growing markets with ample opportunities for innovative product development. The HQP trained on our upgraded CIARS setups will acquire the knowledge and hands-on experience these markets need right now and in the future.