July 2026 Issue
The July issue of the IEEE Microwave Magazine is out! This issue features reconfigurable filters and a Distinguished Microwave Lecture. This issue has four features on filters, a feature on systems above 100 GHz and a feature on why nuclear magnetic resonance is like qubits. Check out the Editor’s Desk column for the big overview of the issue. For now we will try to entice you with a tease of the features and columns.
Filters have been at the heart of microwave engineering since the beginning. And while software radios have changed our world filters are still the best solution for some problems. Configurable filters with a broad tuning range are a perfect match for software radios. Our features begin with an overview of tunable band pass filters and using minimal tuning elements. While there are many ways of tuning a resonator our second feature focuses on mechanical tuning by several methods. Mechanical tuning was often how filters were made because realization techniques have finite tolerances so adjustments needed to be made. Filters evolved to handle multiple bands in one structure and our third feature discusses hyperflexible RF filters. While cavity filters rule when high Q and high power are needed planar filters are much easier to integrate and our fourth feature covers tunable planar filter and multifunction designs. Thanks to compound semiconductors we have ICs that function and enable systems in the 100 to 300 GHz range and our fifth feature gives an excellent overview of these chips, antennas and systems. Finally our sixth feature takes us into one of our hottest new areas, quantum computing, and helps us understand it with an analogy to magnetic resonance.
Now we are down to the columns. As I mentioned, check out the Editor’s Desk. This issue also has a Guest Editor’s Desk so you can learn more about what our TC-5 has been doing. Then check out the President’s Column. AI is changing our world and see how our President sees opportunities and caution. There is so much going on in our society. We have had webinars for years and our Education News lets you know what is happening now. And many people might think the IEEE is all about technology but we are responsible to humanity and our MTT Society News covers the SIGHT initiatives at MAPCON 2025. Our society is international and our Around the Globe column covers what is happening in South Africa. Also in the international scope our Women in Microwaves event in Wuxi, Jiangsu, China continues our focus on all people and all places. And sadly yet again we have an In Memoriam column with this one about Mauro Mongiardo, a professor of microwaves, rock climber and sailor. Please read the column and celebrate a life well lived.
As well as columns on what is happening in the society we have columns that feed the more technical side of us. Our MicroBusiness column is always a good place to motivate the little gray cells. Fred reviews his own career and experiences. My takeaways were to do everything you do to add to your career so listen, learn and work hard – what are your takeaways? Do you remember your final exams? Our Microwave Surfing column also has a final exam so check it out. It seems like old fashioned books are gaining in popularity and our Book/Software Reviews column this month features a book about using MatLab software to analyze antennas. Win-win. Understandably the IEEE should be concerned about climate change and being as “green” as possible. We have another installment of our Green RF Engineering column in this issue and it features reconfigurable intelligent antenna surfaces – which I am sure can be analyzed with MatLab. Our Enigmas, etc. column does not need MatLab to answer the question of the best load for power transfer through an L-pad network – you can work it out by yourself. Educators are in the business of provoking thought and this month’s Educator’s Corner column is packed with frequency ladders, f_Max and an exponential frontier.
As always, check out the Conference Calendar and enjoy a meeting in person.
Summary by Alfy Riddle, Ph.D.
Quanergy Solutions, Inc.