March 2018 News for the Microwave and Wireless Engineer

MEASUREMENT
Time-Domain Ultra-Wideband Imaging

A fully automatic time-domain measurement system for ultra-wideband microwave imaging uses a pair of movable antennas to transmit and receive. Each antenna can be independently controlled to complete a full measurement (of both incident and total field) within 20 minutes. Comparison with a frequency-sweep method shows that both methods allow for accurate imaging results.

CALL FOR PAPERS Advanced Materials and Processes Papers Due 2 Apr.

The IEEE MTT-S 2018 International Microwave Workshop Series on Advanced Materials and Processes (Ann Arbor, MI, 16-18 July) seeks submissions on all areas of novel materials, advanced manufacturing and processing, and integration techniques. Submission deadline is 2 April.

WPT Frequency Selective Surfaces for Scalable Energy Harvesting

A frequency-selective surface designed and optimized for ambient RF energy harvesting incorporates channeling features to combine power from multiple unit cells, allowing for efficient operation under low-power conditions, with simulations showing 97% absorption of available energy at its resistive load.

CALL FOR PAPERS Special Transactions on 5G Hardware and Systems

Submit papers by 15 Oct. for a special “5G Hardware and System Technologies” issue of IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques to be published in June 2019.

MICROFLUIDICS Sensitive Sensors for Fluid Concentration

A resonator based on a complementary electric-LC resonator was made to verify predictions of a sensitivity enhancement of more than 400% in detecting changes in a dielectric material over a permittivity range of 1 to 1.2. Results indicate the sensor is suitable for emerging micofludic applications, including lab-on-a-chip.

GRANTS Undergraduate Scholarships Application Deadline 5 Apr.

Up to 10 Undergraduate/Pre-Graduate Scholarships in the amount of $1500 may be granted semi-annually to assist BS and MS students in electrical engineering. Click here for a description of the scholarship program, eligibility requirements, and an application form. The next application deadline is 5 April.

MEASUREMENT Meeting New RF Measurement Challenges

As instantaneous bandwidths and overall frequency ranges continue to increase in wireless communications, measurement requirements are evolving to capture not just the upper frequency limit but also to the linearity and other response characteristics associated with the modulation and bandwidth.

IMS2018 Women in Microwaves / IMBioC 2018 Panel

On 14 June, MTT-S Women in Microwaves and the MTT-S International Microwave Biomedical Conference will present a joint “Women in Microwaves Panel Session and Networking Event” during the International Microwave Symposium in Philadelphia. Keynotes include Caterina Merla on “Working at the frontier of engineer and biology.”

BIOMEDICINE Frequency Dependence of In-Body Radio

A highly accurate phantom is employed to evaluate the impact of frequency dependence of human tissues on microwave channel characteristics in the 3.1 to 5.1 GHz range, assessing path loss in subbands of 500 MHz.

INSPECTION Chipless RFID for Metal Crack Detection

A novel application of the frequency signature-based chipless RFID for metal crack detection and characterization operating in ultra-wideband frequency for low-cost, high-temperature-resistant passive wireless sensors able to monitor the crack on a metallic structure with multiparameter detection.

COMING UP Texas Wireless; Microwave Technology; Intelligent Mobility

Upcoming MTT-S-sponsored meetings include Wireless and Microwave Circuits and Systems (WMCS, 5-6 Apr., Waco, TX), Wireless and Microwave Technology (WAMICON, 9-10 Apr., Sand Key, FL)., and Microwaves for Intelligent Mobility (ICMIM, 16-17 Apr., Munich).