Metamaterial-based reconfigurable antennas with dynamic radiation pattern functionality

如今，由于移动通信、数据传输和智能传输等大量新兴应用的出现，移动通信系统对数据速率提出了巨大的需求。这种非常大的数据流量预计在未来十年将继续增加。为了实现如此高的数据流量，可以探索毫米波段，为移动用户提供多 Gbps 宽带接入。凭借这一功能，毫米波段被视为未来 5G 无线移动网络的关键技术推动者。然而，在毫米波段，使用传统天线系统的无线通信系统会遭受高路径损耗，从而显着降低其覆盖范围和容量方面的性能。为了克服这些挑战，我们在该项目中建议开发具有理想电磁特性的新型电子可调谐超材料，并将其应用于具有动态辐射方向图能力的先进的基于超材料的可重构天线的设计，从而为当前毫米波天线技术提供可靠且紧凑的替代方案。为了实现这一目标，我们首先将对毫米波频段的超材料晶胞进行理论和实验研究。 随后将使用这些新开发的材料来设计和开发具有动态辐射方向图的可重构天线，这些材料的性能似乎很有前途。该项目的广阔愿景从新型超材料单元电池的开发到其工业应用，使得该项目独一无二，对于未来的 5G 及毫米波频段无线通信系统至关重要。拟议的项目将利用我们的研究团队在天线设计和超材料方面的强大专业知识。研究工作将侧重于设计新型可调谐超材料结构，以利用它们来开发具有动态辐射方向图的可重构天线。该项目将产生的新知识以及与该工作不同阶段相关的高素质人才的培训必将有助于增强加拿大在这一高科技领域的全球竞争力。

Nowadays mobile 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, mm-wave bands could be explored 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 new electronically tunable metamaterials with desirable electromagnetic properties and apply them for the design of advanced metamaterial-based reconfigurable antennas with dynamic radiation pattern capability to offer reliable and compact alternative to current mm-wave antenna technologies. To address this objective, first we will conduct theoretical as well as experimental investigations on metamaterial unit cells at millimeter-wave bands. This will be followed by the design and development of reconfigurable antennas with dynamic radiation pattern using these newly developed materials whose properties appear promising. The broad vision of this project starting from the development of new metamaterial unit cells to its industrial applications makes this project unique and of critical importance for the future 5G and beyond wireless communication systems at mm-wave bands.The proposed project will take advantage of our research team's strong expertise in both antenna design and metamaterials. Research efforts will be oriented towards the design of new tunable metamaterial structures to use them for developing reconfigurable antennas with dynamic radiation pattern. 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.