RWC_FPMS

Modern wireless communication systems require high frequency components that can be reconfigured dynamically to modify their performance. Usually a reconfigurable device has a single function associated with it but that function can be altered or controlled. For instance, a tunable antenna can be operated at different frequency bands, however it always works as an antenna that radiates out electromagnetic waves. For this work, the members of UOIT and Carleton University propose a Field Programmable Microwave Substrate (FPMS) that can perform multiple functions using a single device. This new concept was recently introduced by the principal applicant in 2016. The design was realized using a single microwave waveguide that was programmed to work as an oscillator as well as a filter. The idea thus introduced can provide ground-breaking innovation for dynamically definable/reconfigurable wireless components. The nomenclature of the concept was adopted from field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) due to the commonality of the implementation. The substrate consists of small unit cells that can be individually reconfigured to have a range of positive dielectric constants or a negative dielectric constant. The substrate was contained in a metal parallel plate structure. Programming a positive material sandwiched between two negative material sidewalls results in a waveguide that behaves in a way described by the slab waveguide equations. Miniaturization and increased density of unit cells can result in lower loss and better performance. Implementations of the FPMS have been presented in low gigahertz frequency range. The FPMS concept promises a new era of programmable microwave circuit and antenna design for various applications like cognitive radios, internet of things (IoT), self-adapting systems etc. First the research aim of this project is to design unit cells with an analytical model to finally optimize each cell in order to model completly the FPMS for particular reconfigurable devices. Simple microwave functions (waveguides, .) will be used to validate the analytical modelization. The second objective of the projetc is to use this artificial maetrail up to millimeter waves that will require technological developments due to the size reduction of unit cell but also for the integration of actives devices used in the unit cell to achieve reconfigurability. The third objective is to design and to realize complex reconfigurable circuits (filters, phase shifters, switches, power dividers) and reconfigurable antennas to obtain evolutive radiation patterns (beam scanning, beamforming) that are main parts of the new wireless systems and radars. The consortium of this international project is composed of Xlim and IETR for France and UOIT, Carleton University and one industrial partner ORBCOMM for Canada.