M.Sc.Eng. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2014.

In order to improve efficiency and reliability of the world's power grids, sensors are being deployed for constant status monitoring. Placing inexpensive wireless sensors on high-voltage power lines presents a new challenge to the RF engineer. Large electric field intensities can exist around a wireless sensor antenna on a high-voltage power line, leading to the formation of a corona plasma. A corona plasma is a partially ionized volume of air formed through energetic electron-molecule collisions mediated by a strong electric field. This corona can contain large densities of free electrons which act as a conducting medium, absorbing RF energy and detuning the sensor's antenna. Through the use of low-profile antennas and rounded geometries, the possibility for corona formation on the antenna surface is greatly reduced, as compared with wire antennas. This study looks at the effects of a corona plasma on a patch antenna, which could be used in a power line sensor. The corona's behavior in the presence of an electromagnetic plane wave is analyzed mathematically to understand the dependence of attenuation on frequency and electron density. A Drude model is used to convert plasma parameters such as electron density and collision frequency to a complex permittivity that can be incorporated in antenna simulations. Using CST Microwave Studio, a 5.8 GHz patch antenna is simulated with a plasma material on its surface, of varying densities and thicknesses. Power absorption by the plasma dominates the power loss, as opposed to detuning. A wideband patch is simulated to show that the detuning effects by the plasma can be further reduced. Power absorption by the plasma is significant for electron densities greater than 10¹⁸ m⁻³. However, small point corona are found to have little effect on antenna radiation.

Transmission ellipsometry is governed by the transmission ellipsometric function (TEF) of a film-substrate system. The function can be analyzed through a series of constant-thickness contours and constant-angle-of-incidence contours in the complex plane. It has been observed that these TEF contours for a zero film-substrate system bear strong resemblances to the families of curves that make up the Smith chart for transmission lines. In this thesis we present a comparative study of the TEF and the Smith chart, specifically through the distinct similarities of their respective families of curves. It is shown that both TEF and Smith chart have similar contours in both the positive and negative imaginary half planes. The Smith chart’s contours originate from a complex plane with linear boundaries. It is bisected into symmetric positive and negative imaginary half planes of equal areas that are conjugate of each other. When transformed to the Smith chart, it is normalized and the conjugate relationship remains intact. All contours in the positive imaginary half plane of the Smith chart are symmetric to all of the contours in the negative half plane of the Smith chart. TEF contours originate from a non-complex reduced thickness plane. This plane has a non-linear upper boundary. It is bisected into two equal areas but non-symmetric, half planes. When transformed to the complex τ plane, the likeness of the constant-angle-of-incidence contours and constant-thickness contours to the Smith chart contours become a function of the material indices. As the film-substrate systems material indices are increased, the range of the non-linear boundary of the ф – dr plane is reduced and the TEF contours more closely resemble the Smith chart.

Thesis (MAppSc in Project Management)--University of South Australia, 1995

Thesis (in competition for the Angas Engineering Scholarship)--University of Adelaide, 1948. / Typewritten copy.

Thèse (M.Eng.) -- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 2007. / La p. de t. porte en outre: Mémoire présenté à l'Université du Québec à Chicoutimi comme exigence partielle de la maîtrise en ingénierie. CaQQUQ Bibliogr.: f. 100-107. Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQQUQ

Thèse (M. Eng.) -- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 2002. / Bibliogr.: f. 154-192. Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

Thèse (D.Eng.) -- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 2005. / Bibliogr.: f. [194]-198. Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

Thesis (Ph. D.), Oregon Graduate Institute of Science & Technology, 1996.

Thesis (M.Eng.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1999. / Bibliography: leaves 140-143.