Keeping up to date on the latest microwave and RF engineering topics within MTT-S’ field of interest is the main goal of all of MTT-S’ publications, and this month is no exception. This issue of IEEE Microwave Magazine provides a look (although not an exhaustive one) “Across the MTT Spectrum” in terms of our technical features that cover a diverse set of topics, from CMOS THz imaging detectors to 5G/6G system integration to metasurface absorbers and impedance matching (again, from components to large-scale systems).

Our first technical feature this month is a components-type article by A. K.-W. Chee and titled “Terahertz Imaging for Everyone: Uncooled CMOS Direct Detectors for Scalable Sensing”. In this feature, Chee distills the guiding optimization principles for the use of CMOS detectors for scalable sensing and imaging systems. Looking at a more large-scale system, our second technical feature, entitled “Overcoming RF Hurdles in 5G/6G Satellite-Terrestrial Integration “ by Fabrizio De Paolis and Gabriele Gradoni, provides an overview of the main RF design challenges in 5G/6G satellite–terrestrial integrated systems, discussing such aspects as interference mitigation, antenna arrays/multiple input/multiple output (MIMO), power amplification, and novel RF architectures. Our third, components-based technical feature is “Metasurface Absorbers Revisited: Evaluation, Design, Fabrication, and Validation” by Xiaojing Lv et. al. and provides insight into the entire realization process of metasurface absorbers, offering designers both an understanding of the field and guidance on fundamental design principles. We conclude the technical portion of the magazine with an Applications Note entitled “Impedance Matching in Mobile Front-End Systems: Load-Pull Techniques for Optimizing Current and Linearity in Power Amplifier Modules” by Steve W. Y. Mung and Anding Zhu. In this Applications Note, the authors show a practical perspective of how load-pull can be applied at the power amplifier module level to achieve efficient system operation, minimizing current consumption while maintaining 3GPP-compliant linearity.

In this month’s President’s Message, MTT-S President Anding Zhu discusses a theme that is also being discussed at all levels of IEEE and that is publishing in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). This will be an on-going discussion for quite a while as the entire world adjusts to the advantages (and disadvantages) of AI in the workplace (and at home). Fred Schindler, in our MicroBusiness Issues column this month, talks about how each of us can let our local portion of society as whole know about all the important technologies that we work on everyday and that benefit their lives. In our Health Matters column, James Lin discusses the most recent research findings related to mobile-phone RF radiation health effects, an on-going theme in his columns and in the research space. As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, the MTT-S has 28 TCs that are involved in all aspects of MTT-S’ field of interest, and this month, TC-21, the Terahertz Technology and Applications Committee, presents a report of their activities in the last two years in our MTT Society News column.

Reaching out to the global microwave and RF community has been a continued activity within the society. Recently, the MTT-S Administrative Committee created a Broadening Participation Committee (BPC) to put these many outreach activities under a single committee umbrella, and this month we are pleased to announce a new column related to the BPC’s work entitled Broadening MTT’s Reach. This inaugural column starts with an introduction by the founding chair of the BPC, Debabani Choudury, and then goes on to provide three more articles on various activities around the globe to show the outreach being done by the society. We think that this column will be an almost monthly column because of the broad outreach being done by the society. And, speaking of activities, we have several other columns outlining MTT-S activities such as a Conference Report, an MGA News column, a Green RF Engineering column, a Women in Microwaves column and a Speakers Corner. Rounding out the issue we have the solution to last month’s Enigmas etc. challenge and, of course, our

And finally, check out the Conference Calendar to see the upcoming MTT community meetings.

Summary by
Robert Caverly
EIC, Microwave Magazine