Antenna scanner upgrade to enable measurements in millimeter frequency bands for upcoming wireless communication systems

对在毫米波波段运行的便携式和高数据速率通信系统的需求，迫切需要设计和开发具有高增益和大带宽的紧凑，高效的天线。然而，为了适应未来5G通信系统及以后的毫米波频段，效率、紧凑性和波束形成能力已成为天线研究领域具有挑战性的指标。从这个角度来看，我们提出了几个针对新型先进毫米波天线的研究项目。这些项目的主要里程碑涉及数值设计，原型设计和实验表征，从而使天线在紧凑性和效率方面具有高性能。基于电磁场仿真的数值分析与设计已被应用于毫米波天线的设计。虽然数值分析提供了更深入的了解初始设计和优化，准确的实验验证是必要的，以证明所提出的概念。***两个主要工具是数值模拟软件（HFSS和CST）和原型设备（LPKF ProtoLaser S Machine），它们在我们的射频实验室中已经可用并且功能齐全。然而，最关键的毫米波天线表征设施急需对安装在INRS射频实验室消声室的天线测量扫描仪进行硬件和软件升级。此天线扫描器涵盖天线方向图和增益测量，仅适用于1至18 GHz的微波频段。此外，到2020年6月，这款扫描仪将年满18岁，它的一些部件，如放大器、收发器和射频电缆，已经过时了。由于这些原因，它迫切需要升级和扩大，以便继续成为我们的学术研究和培训活动的有用工具。因此，在本应用中，我们的目标是升级和增强我们的天线测量扫描仪，以便为即将到来的无线通信系统（如下一代（5G）无线系统和在Ka和V频段工作的物联网（IoT）应用）在微波和毫米频段进行测量。所要求的天线特性系统升级将加强我们在INRS射频实验室现有的设备。目前申请的目标是：(i)测试未来毫米波无线通信系统的新型高效毫米波高增益和宽带天线，与加拿大高科技产业的具体需求保持一致；（ii）培训高素质人才，以应对我们社会的科学和技术挑战。

Demands for portable and high data rate communication systems operating at millimeter-wave bands have created an urgent need for the design and development of compact, efficient antennas with high gain and large bandwidth. However, in order to comply with the future 5G communication systems and beyond at millimeter-wave bands, efficiency, compactness and beamforming capability have become challenging figures of merit in the field of antenna research. In this perspective, we have proposed several research projects that target new advanced millimeterwave antennas. The major milestones of these projects involve numerical design, prototyping and experimental characterization which results in antennas with high performances in terms of compactness and efficiency. The numerical analysis and design based on electromagnetic field simulations have been used to design mm-wave antennas. Although numerical analysis provides a deeper insight to the initial design and optimization, accurate experimental validation is mandatory to prove the proposed concept.***The two main tools are the numerical simulation software (HFSS and CST) and prototyping facility (LPKF ProtoLaser S Machine), which have been available and fully functional in our RF laboratory. However, the most critical facility for millimeter-wave antenna characterization needs urgent hardware and software upgrade of the antenna measurement scanner installed in our anechoic chamber, RF laboratory, INRS. This antenna scanner covers antenna pattern and gain measurements only for the microwave band between 1 to 18 GHz. In addition, this scanner will turn eighteen years old by June 2020, and some of its parts, such as amplifiers, transceivers, and RF cables, are becoming outdated. For these reasons, it urgently needs to be upgraded and expanded in order to continue to be a useful tool for our academic research and training activities. Therefore in this application, our goal is to upgrade and enhance our antenna measurement scanner to enable measurements in both microwave and millimeter frequency bands for upcoming wireless communication systems, such as the next generation (5G) wireless systems and Internet of Things (IoT) applications operating at Ka and V bands. The requested upgrade of the antenna characterization system will strengthen the equipment already available in our RF laboratory at INRS. The objectives of the present application are: (i) testing new efficient mm-wave high gain and broadband antennas for future mm-wave wireless communications systems, consistently with the specific needs of the high technology Canadian industry, and (ii) train highly qualified personnel to respond to the scientific and technological challenges of our society.