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The desire to counter multipath effects and improve communication links between mobile wireless systems in dense environment has led to much research in implementing antenna diversity. Space diversity, utilizing two or more antennas separated several wavelengths from one another, is one of the most popular method to achieve this operation. Meanwhile, polarization diversity, utilizing two orthogonal polarizations, has become more attractive in reducing cost and size of antenna systems. Polarization diversity is achieved using two orthogonal feeds to excite the two orthogonal polarization planes of the antenna. The challenge associated with designing dual polarized antennas is the need to reduce isolation between the feed and cross polarization level while maintaining a high efficiency. While a number of studies are successful in realizing polarization diversity, their antenna structure typically present more complex structures involving multiple layers. This thesis presents a novel method to implement polarization diversity on a miniature antenna using a simple planar structure. The antenna structure uses two crossed slots further miniaturized using a method derived from a recent study on miniaturized spiral slot antenna. At an operating frequency of ~ 1 GHz, the antenna is capable of achieving efficiency greater than 90% with a size as small as 0.08 .? x 0.08? The dual polarization operation is achieved by exciting the magnetic currents of the crossed slots with two orthogonal coplanar waveguide feeds. Simulation results of the proposed antenna yield an isolation > 15 dB with cross polarization levels > 10 dB. Theantenna structure was designed using CST Microwave Studio and the simulations were performed using IE3D simulation software.

A 5 GHz continuous unlicensed bandwidth is available at millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies around 60 GHz and offers the prospect for multi gigabit wireless applications. The inherent atmospheric attenuation at 60 GHz due to oxygen absorption makes the frequency range ideal for short distance communication networks. For these mm-wave wireless networks, the low noise amplifier (LNA) is a critical subsystem determining the receiver performance i.e., the noise figure (NF) and receiver sensitivity. It however proves challenging to realise high performance mm-wave LNAs in a silicon (Si) complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The mm-wave passive devices, specifically on-chip inductors, experience high propagation loss due to the conductivity of the Si substrate at mm-wave frequencies, degrading the performance of the LNA and subsequently the performance of the receiver architecture. The research is aimed at realising a high performance mm-wave LNA in a Si BiCMOS technology. The focal points are firstly, the fundamental understanding of the various forms of losses passive inductors experience and the techniques to address these issues, and secondly, whether the performance of mm-wave passive inductors can be improved by means of geometry optimising. An associated hypothesis is formulated, where the research outcome results in a preferred passive inductor and formulates an optimised passive inductor for mm-wave applications. The performance of the mm-wave inductor is evaluated using the quality factor (Q-factor) as a figure of merit. An increased inductor Q-factor translates to improved LNA input and output matching performance and contributes to the lowering of the LNA NF. The passive inductors are designed and simulated in a 2.5D electromagnetic (EM) simulator. The electrical characteristics of the passive structures are exported to a SPICE netlist which is included in a circuit simulator to evaluate and investigate the LNA performance. Two LNAs are designed and prototyped using the 13μ-m SiGe BiCMOS process from IBM as part of the experimental process to validate the hypothesis. One LNA implements the preferred inductor structures as a benchmark, while the second LNA, identical to the first, replaces one inductor with the optimised inductor. Experimental verification allows complete characterization of the passive inductors and the performance of the LNAs to prove the hypothesis. According to the author's knowledge, the slow-wave coplanar waveguide (S-CPW) achieves a higher Q-factor than microstrip and coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission lines at mm-wave frequencies implemented for the 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology node. In literature, specific S-CPW transmission line geometry parameters have previously been investigated, but this work optimises the signal-to-ground spacing of the S-CPW transmission lines without changing the characteristic impedance of the lines. Optimising the S-CPW transmission line for 60 GHz increases the Q-factor from 38 to 50 in simulation, a 32 % improvement, and from 8 to 10 in measurements. Furthermore, replacing only one inductor in the output matching network of the LNA with the higher Q-factor inductor, improves the input and output matching performance of the LNA, resulting in a 5 dB input and output reflection coefficient improvement. Although a 5 dB improvement in matching performance is obtained, the resultant noise and gain performance show no significant improvement. The single stage LNAs achieve a simulated gain and NF of 13 dB and 5.3 dB respectively, and dissipate 6 mW from the 1.5 V supply. The LNA focused to attain high gain and a low NF, trading off linearity and as a result obtained poor 1 dB compression of -21.7 dBm. The LNA results are not state of the art but are comparable to SiGe BiCMOS LNAs presented in literature, achieving similar gain, NF and power dissipation figures. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

The delivery of tunable millimetre-wave components at 60GHz is of research and development interests with the advent of 5G era. Among applications such as high-data-rate wireless communications, high-precision automotive radars and hand-gesture sensing, variable phase shifters are vital components for antenna arrays to steer an electromagnetic beam without mechanical movement. However, present microwave technology has limited scope in meeting more and more stringent requirements in wavefront phase control and device performance for those cutting-edge applications in the millimetre-wavelength range. Although some existing microwave switchable techniques (such as RF MEMS and solid-state p-i-n diodes) can offer ultra-fast speed for phase modulation, their binary beam-steering nature is resolution-limited and thereby degrades the beam-scanning performance. In response to this, continuously-tunable phase shifting can be realised by using tunable dielectric materials such as ferroelectric BST and liquid crystals (LCs). BST thin films can offer relatively fast switching and modest tunability. However, the increased dielectric loss beyond 10GHz impedes their implementation for higher frequency applications. By comparison, liquid crystals (LCs) have drawn attention in recent years because of their continuous tunability as well as low losses especially at millimetre-wavebands. The principle of shifting the phase continuously is based on the shape anisotropy of LC molecules for variable polarizabilities and hence tunable dielectric constants, which allows wave speed to be controlled with ease by a low-frequency field of only up to 10V. However, LC-based tunable delay lines are not well established in the frequency regime of 60GHz-90GHz because of the limited status of LC microwave technology in which most of the LC based devices have been designed for below 40GHz. It is the aim of this PhD research to bridge the gap and address future societal needs based on our group's focus and experience in developing cutting-edge LC-based agile microwave components. In this work, a liquid crystal (LC) based 0-180˚continuously-variable phase shifter is developed with insertion loss less than -4.4dB and return loss below -15dB across a wide spectrum from 54GHz to 67GHz. The device is driven by a 0-10V AC bias and structured in a novel enclosed coplanar waveguide (ECPW) including an enclosed ground plate in the design, which significantly reduces the instability due to floating effects of the transmission line. This structure screens out interference and stray modes, allowing resonance-free quasi-TEM wave propagation up to 90GHz. The tunable ECPW is optimised by competing spatial volume distribution of the millimetre-wave signal occupying lossy tunable dielectrics versus low-loss but non-tunable dielectrics and minimising the total of dielectric volumetric loss and metal surface loss for a fixed phase-tuning range. A variety of influences affecting the actual device performance are studied, experimented and optimised. Fabricated prototypes exhibit wideband low-loss performance and 0-π continuous tuning with low power consumptions and high linearity compared with the state-of-the-arts. Potentially, the ECPW-fed phased antenna array will be incorporated with advanced beam-forming algorithms to develop compact beam-steering systems of improved performances and targeted for ultra-high-data-rate wireless communications, inter-satellite communications, current road safety improvement, futuristic autonomous driving, and other smart devices such as the hand-gesture recognition.

Ce travail de thèse, qui se rattache au domaine des composants télécom, concerne l’étude de composants passifs élémentaires constitués de lignes de transmission coplanaires alliant ferrite et métamatériaux. Ces composants sont susceptibles de réaliser de nouvelles fonctions en électronique des hautes fréquences en combinant plusieurs phénomènes comme ceux de non réciprocité, des comportements main droite – main gauche et l’agilité en fréquence. Les applications visées portent sur un grand champ de composants microondes comme des antennes, des isolateurs, déphaseurs, coupleurs, filtres - agiles et performants. La modélisation, la fabrication et la caractérisation de ces composants ont été effectuées dans le cadre d’une collaboration entre l’INL et le LT2C. Les outils mis en œuvre dans ce travail comprennent la réalisation de ces composants en salle blanche, leur caractérisation en hyperfréquences (en général jusqu’à 20 GHz), leur simulation par un logiciel commercial de simulation par éléments finis (COMSOL) ainsi que le développement de techniques d’extraction de paramètres (Matlab). La mise en œuvre de ces outils a permis d’appréhender le comportement de ces lignes en termes de constante de propagation et de diagramme de dispersion. Sur le plan pratique, des composants inductifs et/ou capacitifs (capacités à fente ou interdigitées) ont été intégrés à des lignes de transmission coplanaires sur 2 types de substrats. Le premier substrat, diélectrique (Al203), sert de référence, tandis que le second est ferrimagnétique (YIG ou Y3Fe5O12) et présente un effet de non-réciprocité de la propagation du signal dans la configuration retenue. Sur alumine, les valeurs des capacités et des inductances intégrées atteignent 80 fF et 400 pH respectivement. Sur YIG, à partir d’études paramétriques originales sur différentes topologies de structures de test, les effets de non réciprocité attendus ainsi que les phénomènes de résonance gyromagnétique ont bien été mis en évidence. La simulation électromagnétique des structures est validée par un accord correct entre simulations et mesures. Il ressort de cette étude que la non réciprocité d’une ligne sur YIG chargée par des inductances parallèles peut être améliorée jusqu’à 15 dB environ par rapport à une simple ligne coplanaire sur YIG pour certaines bandes de fréquences. Enfin l’agilité en fréquence de la structure de bande des lignes CRLH est établie. Ces travaux ouvrent de très intéressantes perspectives pour le développement de nouveaux composants microondes et sont susceptibles de constituer un socle solide pour une suite des activités dans cette thématique. / In this thesis we studied some passive components based on metamaterials. Our goal was to assess the physical properties of CRLH lines combined with a ferrite substrate. When the CRLH TLs are integrated with ferrite substrate, new properties based on the “CRLH” structure and nonreciprocity of ferrite can be obtained. Samples were processed on dielectric substrate (alumina) as well as on YIG substrate, according to fabrication steps which are described in this work. These samples have been characterized, in particular for the YIG substrate, with and without a magnetic polarization field. 3D Finite element simulation was used to get the scattering parameters. Lastly, dispersion diagrams were extracted from both measured and simulated data.We can get nonreciprocity by modeling the ferrite substrate, and “left-handed” property by modeling the structure of CRLH. The first chapter of this manuscript focus on theories of microwave transmission lines, coplanar waveguides, magnetic materials and metamaterials. In the second chapter, we designed and implemented conventional CPW components as well as stand-alone capacitors and inductors on alumina substrate. We completed the fabrication process in NANOLYON. Then the simulations in software COMSOL, and the analytical modelling approaches in Matlab are presented. The measured, simulated and analytical S parameters are given, the corresponding propagation constants of CPW, the extracted values of capacitance and inductance are given and discussed. The CPW components on ferrite are introduced in the third chapter. Firstly, different kinds of ferrite and the fabrication of components are presented. Then the modelling of permeability of ferrite material is detailed, and implemented in the 3D finite element simulation. The nonreciprocity is studied using CPW components based on ferrite BaM and YIG. For CPW on ferrite substrate, the measured and simulated S parameters, as well as propagation constant are given. In chapter four, the modelling of CRLH transmission line and the CRLH transmission line theory were presented. Examples of balanced and unbalanced CRLH TL are presented and the dispersion diagram is given. Then a parametric study of the components realized on alumina and on YIG has been driven. The geometric parameters were the left-handed inductances, left-handed capacitances and the length of the CPW separating them (CPW2). Both experimental and simulated scattering parameters are shown and the corresponding propagation constants are given. That enables to identify the different frequency bands: left-handed band, right-handed band and bandgap. Moreover, we establish that the band structure of these components can be tuned with the magnetic applied field.

During this thesis, we have used superconducting circuits with Josephson junctions, derived from the Cooper pair box, in order to implement quantum bits (qubits). <br />To implement two-qubit gates, we have developed a new circuit, the quantroswap, which consists in two capacitively coupled Cooper pair box, each of them being manipulated and read separately. We have demonstrated coherent exchange of energy between them, but we have also observed a problem of qubit instability.<br />In order to avoid this spurious effect, we have implemented another circuit based on a charge insensitive split Cooper pair box coupled to a non-linear resonator for readout-out purpose. We have measured large coherence time, and obtained large readout fidelity (90%) using the bifurcation phenomenon. <br />For metrological purpose, microwave reflectometry measurement on a quantronium also allowed us to relate an applied current I to the frequency f=I/2e of induced Bloch oscillations.

THz and mm-wave technology has become increasingly significant in a very diverse range of applications such as spectroscopy, imaging, and communication as a consequence of a plethora of significant advances in this field. However to achieve a mass production of THz systems, all the commercial aspects should be considered. The main concerns are attributed to the robustness, compactness, and a low cost device. In this regard, research efforts should be focused on the elimination of obstacles standing in the way of commercializing the THz technology. To this end, in this study, low cost fabrication technologies for various parts of mm-wave/THz systems are investigated and explored to realize compact, integrated, and rugged components. This task is divided into four phases. In the first phase, a robust fiber-based beam delivery configuration is deployed instead of the free beam optics which is essential to operate the low cost THz photomixers and photoconductive antennas. The compensation of different effects on propagation of the optical pulse along the optical fiber is achieved through all-fiber system to eliminate any bulky and unstable optical components from the system. THz measurements on fiber-coupled systems exhibit the same performance and even better compared to the free beam system. In the next phase, the generated THz wave is coupled to a rectangular dielectric waveguide through design of a novel transition with low insertion loss. The structure dimensions are reported for various range of frequencies up to 650GHz with insertion loss less than 1dB. The structure is fabricated through a standard recipe. In third phase, as consequence of the advent of high performance active device at mm-wave and THz frequency, a transition is proposed for coupling the electromagnetic wave to the active devices with CPW ports. Different approaches are devised for different frequencies as at higher frequencies any kind of metallic structure can introduce a considerable amount of loss to the system. The optimized structures show minimum insertion loss as low as 1dB and operate over 10% bandwidth. The various configurations are fabricated for lower frequencies to verify the transition performance. The last phase focuses on the design, optimization, fabrication and measurements of a new dielectric side-grating antenna for frequency scanning applications. The radiation mechanism is extensively studied using two different commercial full-wave solvers as well as the measured data from the fabricated samples. The optimized antenna achieves a radiation efficiency of 90% and a gain of 18dB. The measured return loss and radiation pattern show a good agreement with the simulation results.

L'objectif de ce travail est de concevoir et de caractériser un front-end millimétriqueutilisant des lignes de propagation à ondes lentes S-CPW optimisées en technologies CMOS avancées.Ces lignes présentant des facteurs de qualité 2 à 3 fois supérieurs à ceux des lignes classiques de typemicroruban ou CPW.Dans le premier chapitre, l'impact de l'évolution des noeuds technologiques CMOS sur lesperformances des transistors MOS aux fréquences millimétriques et sur les lignes de propagation ainsiqu'un état de l'art concernant les performances des front-end sont présentés. Le deuxième chapitreconcerne la réalisation des lignes S-CPW dans différentes technologies CMOS et la validation d'unmodèle phénoménologique électrique équivalent. Le troisième chapitre est dédié à la conceptiond'amplificateurs de puissance à 60 GHz utilisant ces lignes S-CPW en technologies CMOS 45 et65 nm. Cette étude a permis de mettre en évidence l'apport des lignes à ondes lentes aux performancesdes amplificateurs de puissance fonctionnant dans la gamme des fréquences millimétriques. Uneméthode de conception basée sur les règles d'électro-migration et permettant une optimisation desperformances a été développée. Finalement, un amplificateur faible bruit et un commutateur d'antennetravaillant à 60 GHz et à base de lignes S-CPW ont été conçus en technologie CMOS 65 nm afin degénéraliser l'impact de ce type de lignes sur les performances des front-end millimétriques.

THz and mm-wave technology has become increasingly significant in a very diverse range of applications such as spectroscopy, imaging, and communication as a consequence of a plethora of significant advances in this field. However to achieve a mass production of THz systems, all the commercial aspects should be considered. The main concerns are attributed to the robustness, compactness, and a low cost device. In this regard, research efforts should be focused on the elimination of obstacles standing in the way of commercializing the THz technology. To this end, in this study, low cost fabrication technologies for various parts of mm-wave/THz systems are investigated and explored to realize compact, integrated, and rugged components. This task is divided into four phases. In the first phase, a robust fiber-based beam delivery configuration is deployed instead of the free beam optics which is essential to operate the low cost THz photomixers and photoconductive antennas. The compensation of different effects on propagation of the optical pulse along the optical fiber is achieved through all-fiber system to eliminate any bulky and unstable optical components from the system. THz measurements on fiber-coupled systems exhibit the same performance and even better compared to the free beam system. In the next phase, the generated THz wave is coupled to a rectangular dielectric waveguide through design of a novel transition with low insertion loss. The structure dimensions are reported for various range of frequencies up to 650GHz with insertion loss less than 1dB. The structure is fabricated through a standard recipe. In third phase, as consequence of the advent of high performance active device at mm-wave and THz frequency, a transition is proposed for coupling the electromagnetic wave to the active devices with CPW ports. Different approaches are devised for different frequencies as at higher frequencies any kind of metallic structure can introduce a considerable amount of loss to the system. The optimized structures show minimum insertion loss as low as 1dB and operate over 10% bandwidth. The various configurations are fabricated for lower frequencies to verify the transition performance. The last phase focuses on the design, optimization, fabrication and measurements of a new dielectric side-grating antenna for frequency scanning applications. The radiation mechanism is extensively studied using two different commercial full-wave solvers as well as the measured data from the fabricated samples. The optimized antenna achieves a radiation efficiency of 90% and a gain of 18dB. The measured return loss and radiation pattern show a good agreement with the simulation results.

Metamaterials are humanly engineered artificial electromagnetic materials which produce electromagnetic properties that are unusual, yet can be observed readily in nature. These unconventional properties are not a result of the material composition but rather of the structure formed. The objective of this thesis is to investigate and design smaller and wideband metamaterial-inspired antennas for personal communication applications, especially for WiMAX, lower band and higher band WLAN applications. These antennas have been simulated using HFSS Structure Simulator and CST Microwave Studio software. The first design to be analysed is a low-profile metamaterial-inspired CPW-Fed monopole antenna for WLAN applications. The antenna is based on a simple strip loaded with a rectangular patch incorporating a zigzag E-shape metamaterial-inspired unit cell to enable miniaturization effect. Secondly, a physically compact, CSRR loaded monopole antenna with DGS has been proposed for WiMAX/WLAN operations. The introduction of CSRR induces frequency at lower WLAN 2.45 GHz band while the DGS has provided bandwidth enhancement in WiMAX and upper WLAN frequency bands, keeping the radiation pattern stable. The next class of antenna is a compact cloud-shaped monopole antenna consisting of a staircase-shaped DGS has been proposed for UWB operation ranges from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. The novel shaped antenna along with carefully designed DGS has resulted in a positive gain throughout the operational bandwidth. Finally, a quad-band, CPW-Fed metamaterial-inspired antenna with CRLH-TL and EBG is designed for multi-band: Satellite, LTE, WiMAX and WLAN.