Near-Field Antenna Measurement Upgrades for Characterizing Microwave and Millimetre-Wave Electromagnetic Metasurfaces

电磁超表面(EMMS)领域的进步使设计者能够通过电磁波促进的复杂的物质/波相互作用来实现对电磁波的前所未有的控制。EMMS涵盖了广泛的拓扑结构，使得设计具有极高效率的低剖面波束形成天线、广角折射/反射表面、电磁斗篷以及更多结构成为可能，这些结构对微波和毫米波(mm波)范围内的无线通信和传感具有重大意义，特别是在新兴的5G/6G无线应用中。这些系统利用了毫米波频段的较大部分，其中EMMS提供的电磁控制可能是一项主要资产。 申请者通过他们各自在多伦多大学的研究项目和合作，在开发EMMS技术和应用方面进行了广泛的工作。由于我们的活动是以实验为基础的，我们广泛依赖对EMMS辐射特性的测量来验证理论和技术概念。为此，我们在多伦多大学使用了两个覆盖非重叠频率范围的近场天线测量系统。该提案寻求资金来维护和改善现有的基础设施。所需资金的一部分将用于翻新需要维护和维修的较老的微波系统，另一部分将用于补充较新的毫米波系统的能力，以便我们能够扩大该仪器所覆盖的可实现的频率范围。总之，由这项提议资助的改进将使我们能够利用在每个系统中所做的重大投资。 本提案中使用的测量基础设施不仅在培训高素质人员方面至关重要，这些人员使用该设备获得了一系列有用的技能和经验，而且我们的团队与行业的合作也是如此。在后者中，概念的实验验证是展示技术的实际应用和为进一步的商业发展指明方向的关键。总的来说，拟议的设备改进将使多伦多大学EMMS领域正在进行的广泛活动产生深刻的研究影响。

Advances in the field of electromagnetic metasurfaces (EMMSs) have enabled designers to yield unprecedented control over electromagnetic waves through the sophisticated matter/wave interaction facilitated by them. Encompassing a wide range of topologies, EMMSs have made it possible to design low-profile beam-forming antennas with extremely high efficiency, wide-angle refracting/reflecting surfaces, electromagnetic cloaks, and many more structures that are of major interest for wireless communications and sensing in the microwave and millimetre-wave (mm-wave) range, particularly in emerging 5G/6G wireless applications. These systems exploit a larger portion of the mm-wave frequency bands where the electromagnetic control afforded by EMMSs can be a major asset. The applicants have worked extensively on developing EMMS technology and applications through their respective research programs and collaboration at the University of Toronto. As our activities are experimentally-based, we rely extensively on measurements of the radiated characteristics of EMMSs to validate theoretical and technological concepts. To do this, we employ two near-field antenna measurement systems at the University of Toronto, which cover non-overlapping frequency ranges. The proposal seeks funding to maintain and improve this is existing infrastructure. Part of the funds requested will be used to refurbish the older microwave system, which is in need of maintenance and repair, while part allocated to supplementing the capabilities of the newer mm-wave system so that we can extend the achievable frequency range covered by this instrument. Jointly, the improvements funded by this proposal will allow us to leverage major investments made in each respective system. The measurement infrastructure used in this proposal is pivotal not only in the training of highly qualified personnel, who gain a spectrum of useful skills and experience using this equipment, but also our groups' collaborations with industry. In the latter, experimental validation of concepts is key to demonstrating the practical applications of technology and informing directions towards further commercial development. Collectively, the proposed equipment improvements will enable deep research impact in a breadth of ongoing activities in the EMMS field at the University of Toronto.