Advanced antennas for future wireless communication systems

无线通信系统的性能通常受到干扰、路径损耗、局部散射和多径传播的限制。因此，必须开发和部署可靠的天线系统，以提高未来无线通信系统的性能和效率。在这种背景下，具有超增益、可重构辐射方向图和宽带操作的下一代天线可以用作用于提高未来无线系统的整体性能的有效解决方案。传统上，为了实现这个目标，已经使用智能天线阵列。这种智能天线系统是基于传统的设计策略，结合大量的天线元件。这些系统的背载基于模拟或数字信号处理器，其响应于接收到的信号自动优化辐射图案。这些方法的主要缺点是通过复杂网络馈送的大量天线，由于损耗导致效率降低。 作为传统系统的替代解决方案，该研究计划旨在开发一类新的先进天线，具有高增益，可重构的辐射模式，使用各种人工电磁材料，如有源频率选择表面（FSS），电磁带隙（EBG）结构和超材料。主要目标是设计和开发先进的新型天线，能够提供高增益，宽带操作和方向图可重构性。为了实现这些吸引人的功能，我们建议 开发新的可调谐有源FSS、EBG或超材料结构。通过控制这些结构的电磁特性，可以控制和电子重新配置增益，频带和辐射图案。这些先进的天线将能够大大提高恶劣环境中的传输质量。 具有这些功能，所提出的天线为未来的无线应用提供了巨大的潜力。为了实现这一具有挑战性的设计平台，拟议的研究将集中在人工电磁材料的研究和表征，包括敏捷FSS，EBG和超材料结构及其在开发具有超增益，宽带宽和动态辐射方向图的新型先进天线中的应用。* 在这个提议中，FSS，EBG和超材料结构提出了有趣的研究课题，因为它们不寻常的，往往是未开发的电磁特性。对这些人造材料的更深入了解有望优化微波和毫米波天线的物理性能，也可能是掌握其他有前途的技术的关键。此外，在微波和毫米波尺度上控制结构合成的能力将导致具有前所未有的物理和电学性能的新功能材料的开发。 因此，该计划将有助于（i）分析，设计和实施机制参与发展的主动频率选择表面，EBG和超材料结构;（ii）根据加拿大高科技工业的具体需要，促进在FSS、EBG和超材料结构及其在先进天线设计和开发中的应用方面的重点研究活动，（3）培养高素质人才，以应对现代社会的科技挑战。

The performance of wireless communication systems is often limited by interferences, path loss, local scattering and multipath propagation. Therefore, reliable antenna systems should be developed and deployed to enhance the performance and efficiency of future wireless communication systems. In this context, next generation antennas with ultra gain, reconfigurable radiation pattern and broad band operation can be used as an efficient solution for increasing the overall performance of future wireless systems. Traditionally, to achieve this objective, smart antenna arrays have been used. Such a smart antenna system is based on the conventional design strategy of combining large number antenna elements. The back-borne of these systems are based on analog or digital signal processors that automatically optimize the radiation pattern in response to the received signal. The principal drawbacks of these approaches are the high number of antennas fed through complex networks that leads to reduced efficiency due to losses.* As an alternative solution to conventional systems, this research program aims to develop a new class of advanced antennas with high gain, reconfigurable radiation patterns using various artificial electromagnetic materials, such as active frequency selective surfaces (FSS), electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structures and metamaterials. The major goal is to design and develop advanced novel antennas that are capable of providing high gain, broadband operation and pattern reconfigurability. To achieve these attractive features, we propose the development of new tunable active FSS, EBG or metamaterial structures. By controlling the electromagnetic characteristics of these structures, the gain, frequency band and radiation pattern can be controlled and electronically reconfigured. These advanced antennas will be capable of drastically improving the transmission quality in hostile environments. With these features, the proposed antennas present significant potential for future wireless applications. To realize this challenging design platform, the proposed research will be focused on the study and characterization of artificial electromagnetic materials, including agile FSS, EBG and metamaterial structures and their applications in the development of new class of advanced antennas with ultra- gain, broad band width and dynamic radiation patterns. * In this proposal, FSS, EBG and metamaterial structures present interesting research topics because of their unusual, often unexplored electromagnetic properties. A more profound knowledge of these artificial materials holds the promise of optimizing the physical properties of microwave and millimeter-wave antennas, and could also be the key to master other promising technologies. Moreover, the ability to control structural synthesis on the microwave and millimeter-wave scale will lead to the development of new functional materials with unprecedented physical and electrical properties.* Therefore, this program will contribute to (i) analysis, design and implementation mechanisms involved in development of active FSS, EBG and metamaterial structures; (ii) foster highly focused research activities in FSS, EBG and metamaterial structures and their applications in design and development of advanced antennas , consistently with specific needs of the high technology Canadian industry, and (iii) train highly qualified personnel to respond to the scientific and technological challenges of our modem society.