RF/Microwave Smart Sensors for the Next Generation of Real-time Detection and Control

在过去的二十年中，由于对连续监测的需求，全球对新型传感设备开发的投资急剧增加。应用范围从优化重油精炼过程到整合医疗保健传感器。然而，目前使用的大多数监测和检测系统仍然存在体积分布大、功耗高、同时对多个参数进行实时、无创检测的能力有限等问题。另一方面，物联网（IoT）将对传感器的需求提升到了一个完全不同的水平。传感器是物联网成功的关键因素，它们需要发展成更复杂的结构，通过强大的低功耗传感平台执行技术和经济上可行的角色，并有可能集成到难以进入的恶劣环境中。射频/微波传感具有巨大的潜力，以满足这一关键需求，因为它的低成本，高灵敏度，以及潜在的非侵入性和无线传感。基于平面谐振器的结构由于其紧凑的设计和极少量被测样品的高精度检测，近年来被广泛用于微波传感。这些特点使基于谐振器的传感器成为实时非接触检测和监测系统的理想候选者。然而，现有的微波传感器在性能方面存在着关键的挑战，例如低灵敏度和低分辨率。我的研究计划的长期目标是通过开发新型高分辨率远程传感器来提高微波传感器的可用性，这些传感器可以集成到更大的传感器平台中。我的研究建议开发高分辨率，低功耗的智能传感和检测设备，以集成到大规模传感器部署和实时数据采集中，以便在智能农业等各种现实应用中进行控制和优化。提出的研究计划的具体目标是：1)提高微波传感器的距离和选择性。2)利用微波电路开发独立或模块化系统作为按需控制的反馈。3)射频能量收集设计与无芯片微波传感器的集成，并通过将其应用于多变量分析应用来验证其性能。拟议的微波传感平台将吸引广泛的跨学科合作网络，并创造一个良好的培训环境。我的长期愿景是将微波传感器视为实时非侵入式传感的主流替代方案，这种更小、更高效或更便宜的设备通过对其有用特性的持续学术探索来满足加拿大工业合作伙伴的商业需求。拟议的研究项目为培训HQP提供了独特和充足的机会，这些工具和技术大多起源于加拿大，并在加拿大保留和发展。

In the past two decades, global investment in the development of novel sensing devices has increased dramatically due to the demand for continuous monitoring. Applications range from optimization of the heavy oil refining process to incorporating sensors for healthcare. However, most currently used monitoring and detection systems still suffer from large size distribution, high power consumption, and limited capability for real-time and non-invasive detection of multiple parameters simultaneously. On the other hand, the Internet of Things (IoT) has taken the need for sensors to a completely different level. Sensors are the key factor in IoT success, and they need to evolve into more sophisticated structures to perform technically and economically viable roles by a robust low-power sensing platform with the potential to integrate into inaccessible and harsh environments. RF/microwave sensing holds tremendous potential to meet this critical need because of its low cost, high sensitivity, and potential for non-invasive and wireless sensing. Planar resonator-based structures have recently been used extensively for microwave sensing due to the compact design and highly accurate detection with very small amounts of the sample under test. These features make resonator-based sensors an ideal candidate for real-time noncontact detection and monitoring systems. However, there are critical challenges related to the performance of available microwave sensors, such as low sensitivity and resolution. The long-term objective of my research program is to increase the usability of microwave sensors by developing novel high-resolution distant sensors that can be integrated into a larger sensory platform. My research proposes developing high-resolution, low-power smart sensing and detection devices to integrate into a massive sensor deployment and real-time data acquisition for control and optimization in various real-life applications such as smart farming. The specific objectives of the proposed research program are: 1) Enhance distance and selectivity of microwave sensors. 2) Leveraging microwave circuits to develop a standalone or modular system as feedback for on-demand control. 3) Integration of RF energy harvesting designs with chipless microwave sensors and validating its performance by applying it to multivariable analysis applications. The proposed microwave sensing platforms will attract an extensive network of cross-disciplinary collaborations and create an excellent training environment. My long-term vision is to see microwave sensors as a mainstream alternative for real-time non-invasive sensing and this smaller, more efficient, or cheaper devices sustain commercial needs of Canadian industrial partners by continued academic exploration of their useful properties. The proposed research program affords unique and ample opportunities to train HQP in a wide range of tools and techniques, much of which originated in Canada, to remain and grow in Canada.