New millimeter wave interferometric, multifunctional sensors have been studied for industrial sensing applications: displacement measurement, liquid-level gauging and velocimetry. Two types of configuration were investigated to implement the sensor: homodyne and double-channel homodyne. Both sensors were integrated on planar structure using MMIC (Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuit) and MIC (Microwave Integrated Circuit) technology for light, compact, and low-cost design. The displacement measurement results employing homodyne configuration show that sub-millimeter resolution in the order of 0.05 mm is feasible without correcting the non-linear phase response of the quadrature mixer. The double-channel homodyne configuration is proposed to suppress the nonlinearity of the quadrature mixer and to estimate the effect of frequency stability of a microwave signal source without the help of additional test equipment, at the loss of a slight increase of circuit complexity. The digital quadrature mixer is constituted by a quadrature-sampling signal processing technique and takes an important role in the elimination of conventional quadrature mixer's nonlinear phase response. Also, in the same displacement measurement, the radar sensor with the double-channel homodyne configuration provided a better resolution of 0.01mm, the best-reported resolution to date in terms of wavelength in the millimeter wave range, than the sensor employing simple homodyne configuration. Short-term stability of a microwave signal source, which is an important issue in phase sensitive measurement, is also considered through phase noise spectrum obtained by FFT spectral estimator at Intermediate Frequency (IF). The developed sensors demonstrate that displacement sensing with micron resolution and accuracy and high-resolution low-velocity measurement are feasible using millimeter-wave interferometer, which is attractive not only for displacement and velocity measurement, but also for other industrial sensing applications requiring very fine resolution and accuracy.

In the past, radio-frequency signals were commonly used for low-speed wireless electronic systems, and optical signals were used for multi-gigabit wired communication systems. However, as the emergence of new millimeter-wave technology introduces multi-gigabit transmission over a wireless radio-frequency channel, the borderline between radio-frequency and optical systems becomes blurred. As a result, there come ample opportunities to design and develop next-generation broadband systems to combine the advantages of these two technologies to overcome inherent limitations of various broadband end-to-end interconnect systems in signal generation, recovery, synchronization, and so on. For the transmission distances of a few centimeters to thousands of kilometers, the convergence of radio-frequency electronics and optics to build radio-over-fiber systems ushers in a new era of research for the upcoming very-high-throughput broadband services. Radio-over-fiber systems are believed to be the most promising solution to the backhaul transmission of the millimeter-wave wireless access networks, especially for the license-free, very-high-throughput 60-GHz band. Adopting radio-over-fiber systems in access or in-building networks can greatly extend the 60-GHz signal reach by using ultra-low loss optical fibers. However, such high frequency is difficult to generate in a straightforward way. In this dissertation, the novel techniques of homodyne and heterodyne optical-carrier suppressions for radio-over-fiber systems are investigated and various system architectures are designed to overcome these limitations of 60-GHz wireless access networks, bringing the popularization of multi-gigabit wireless networks to become closer to the reality. In addition to the advantages for the access networks, extremely high spectral efficiency, which is the most important parameter for long-haul networks, can be achieved by radio-over-fiber signal generation. As a result, the transmission performance of spectrally efficient radio-over-fiber signaling, including orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and orthogonal wavelength division multiplexing, is broadly and deeply investigated. On the other hand, radio-over-fiber is also used for the frequency synchronization that can resolve the performance limitation of wireless interconnect systems. A novel wireless interconnects assisted by radio-over-fiber subsystems is proposed in this dissertation. In conclusion, multiple advantageous facets of radio-over-fiber systems can be found in various levels of end-to-end interconnect systems. The rapid development of radio-over-fiber systems will quickly change the conventional appearance of modern communications.

The research provided in this thesis focuses on the development of high-gain multilayer millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) antenna structures through additive inkjet printing fabrication processes. This work outlines the printing processes of thick dielectric films for use as printed radio frequency (RF) substrates and provides a proof-of-concept demonstration of the first fully-printed RF structures. Using the outlined processes, demonstrations of high-gain mm-Wave proximity-coupled patch array and Yagi-Uda array antennas are presented, achieving the highest realized gain within the 24.5 GHz ISM band for inkjet-printed antennas in literature.

Millimeter wave (mm-Wave) systems have become very attractive recently as lower frequency spectrums used for mobile device communications have been experiencing a “spectral crunch” due to the dissemination of smartphones. Channel characterization of the outdoor urban environment, where networks for mobile devices require the highest data capacity, has been quite scarce and even non-existent for cellular (rooftop to ground) setting measurements. Our project characterizes the urban environment at 38 GHz in a cellular setting and 38 and 60 GHz in a peer-to-peer setting. A sliding correlator channel sounder with an 800 MHz RF bandwidth at 38 GHz and 1.5 GHz RF bandwidth at 60 GHz was constructed to measure the channel using a bandwidth that is larger than the expected bandwidths of future mm-Wave channels. Directional antennas were utilized during the measurements to imitate mm-Wave systems using beam steering antenna arrays, which also allowed for AOA characterization. Path loss and RMS delay spread statistics are provided. Finally, an outage study was performed to test the outage likelihood in an urban environment with many multi-story buildings. / text

This dissertation focuses on the development of next generation wireless communications at millimeter-wave and sub-terahertz frequencies. As wireless providers experience a bandwidth shortage and cellular subscribers demand faster data rates and more reliable service, a push towards unused carriers fre- quencies such as 28 GHz, 60 GHz, and 180 GHz will alleviate network conges- tion while simultaneously providing massive bandwidths to consumers. This dissertation summarizes research in understanding millimeter-wave wireless propagation, the design and fabrication of millimeter-wave and sub-terahertz on-chip antenna arrays on an integrated circuit semiconductor process, and the accurate measurement of on-chip antenna radiation patterns in a wafer probe station environment. / text

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Ever growing demands for higher data rate and bandwidth are pushing extremely high data rate wireless applications to millimeter-wave band (30-300GHz), where sufficient bandwidth is available and high data rate wireless can be achieved without using complex modulation schemes. In addition to the communication applications, millimeter-wave band has enabled novel short range and long range radar sensors for automotive as well as high resolution imaging systems for medical and security. Small size, high gain antennas, unlicensed and worldwide availability of released bands for communication and a number of other applications are other advantages of the millimeter-wave band. The major obstacle for the wide deployment of commercial wireless and radar systems in this frequency range is the high cost and bulky nature of existing GaAs- and InP-based solutions. In recent years, with the rapid scaling and development of the silicon-based integrated circuit technologies such as CMOS and SiGe, low cost technologies have shown acceptable millimeter-wave performance, which can enable highly integrated millimeter-wave radio devices and reduce the cost significantly. Furthermore, at this range of frequencies, on-chip antenna becomes feasible and can be considered as an attractive solution that can further reduce the cost and complexity of the radio package. The propagation channel challenges for the realization of low cost and reliable silicon-based communication devices at millimeter-wave band are severe path loss as well as shadowing loss of human body. Silicon technology challenges are low-Q passive components, low breakdown voltage of active devices, and low efficiency of on-chip antennas. The main objective of this thesis is to investigate and to develop antenna and front-end for cost-effective silicon based millimeter-wave phased array radio architectures that can address above challenges for short range, high data rate wireless communication as well as radar applications. Although the proposed concepts and the results obtained in this research are general, as an important example, the application focus in this research is placed on the radio aspects of emerging 60 GHz communication system. For this particular but extremely important case, various aspects of the technology including standard, architecture, antenna options and indoor propagation channel at presence of a human body are studied. On-chip dielectric resonator antenna as a radiation efficiency improvement technique for an on-chip antenna on low resistivity silicon is presented, developed and proved by measurement. Radiation efficiency of about 50% was measured which is a significant improvement in the radiation efficiency of on-chip antennas. Also as a further step, integration of the proposed high efficiency antenna with an amplifier in transmit and receive configurations at 30 GHz is successfully demonstrated. For the implementation of a low cost millimeter-wave array antenna, miniaturized, and efficient antenna structures in a new integrated passive device technology using high resistivity silicon are designed and developed. Front-end circuit blocks such as variable gain LNA, continuous passive and active phase shifters are investigated, designed and developed for a 60GHz phased array radio in CMOS technology. Finally, two-element CMOS phased array front-ends based on passive and active phase shifting architectures are proposed, developed and compared.

Radio frequencies at millimeter wavelengths suffer greatly from rain attenuation. It is therefore essential to study rainfall characteristics for efficient and reliable design of radio networks at frequencies above 10GHz. These characteristics of rain are geographically based, which need to be studied for estimation of rain induced attenuation. The ITU-R, through recommendations P.837 and P.838, have presented global approaches to rain-rate variation and rain-induced attenuation in line-of-sight radio links. Therefore, in this dissertation characteristics of rainfall rate and its applications for South Africa are evaluated. The cumulative distributions of rain intensity for 12 locations in seven regions in South Africa are presented in this dissertation based on five-year rainfall data. The rain rate with an integration time of 60 minutes is converted into an integration time of 1 minute in accordance with ITU-R recommendations. The resulting cumulative rain intensities and relations between them are compared with the global figures presented in ITU-R Recommendation P.837, as well as with the work in other African countries, notably by Moupfuma and Martin. Based on this work, additional rain-climatic zones are proposed alongside the five identified by ITU-R for South Africa. Finally, the study compares the semi-empirical raindrop-size distribution models such as Laws and Parsons, Marshall and Palmer, Joss, Thams and Waldvogel, and Gamma distribution with the estimated South Africa models. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

Rain affects the design of any communication system that relies on the propagation of electromagnetic waves. Above a certain threshold of frequency, the attenuation due to rain becomes one of the most important limits to the performance of terrestrial line-of-sight (LOS) microwave links. Rain attenuation which is the dominant fading mechanism at these frequencies is based on nature which can vary from location-to-Iocation and from year-to year. In this dissertation, the ITU-R global prediction techniques for predicting the cumulative distribution of rain attenuation on terrestrial links are studied using a five-year rain rate data for twelve different geographical locations in the Republic of South Africa. The specific attenuation rR (dB/km) for both horizontal and vertical polarization is determined. The path attenuation (dB) exceeded for 0.01% of the time is estimated using the available existing models for the twelve different geographical locations on a I-minute integration time rain rate at 0.01% exceedance of the time averaged over a period of 5 years. A comparison study is done on these available rain attenuation mode'ls; The ITU-R model, Crane Global model, and the Moupfouma models at different frequencies and propagation path lengths based on the actual I-minute integration time rain rate exceeded at 0.01% of the time averaged over a period of 5 years for each geographical locations. Finally, from the actual signal attenuation measurements recorded in Durban over a period of 1 year at 19.5 GHz and a propagation path length of 6.73 km, a logarithmic attenuation model and power attenuation model is proposed for Durban, South Africa. Recommendation for future work is given in the concluding chapter for future improvement on this study. Radio communication designers will find the results obtain in the report useful. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

There is need to improve prediction results in rain attenuation in order to achieve reliable wireless communication systems. Existing models require improvements or we need fresh approaches. This dissertation presents a model of rain attenuation prediction for terrestrial and satellite radio links based on a novel approach. This approach postulates that the difference in rain attenuation for various locations is attributed to the dissimilar rain drop sizes and rain cell diameter sizes and that cell sizes derived from local measurements would depict the true nature of rain cells better than the cells derived from long term rain data gathered from different climates. Therefore all other link parameters used in the attenuation equation are presented by the use of mathematical analysis; but the rain cell size is derived from local rain rate measurements. The physical link aspects considered in the mathematical attenuation model are: the Fresnel ellipsoid of the link path, the effect of elevation angle, the rain cell diameter size and the shape of growth of rain rates in the cell. The effect of the elevation angle of the link on the scale of attenuation is accounted for through the proposed coefficient of elevation equation. The coefficient of elevation is considered to modify the size of the rain cell diameter in proportion to the elevation angle of the link and the rain rate growth is taken to be of the truncated-Gaussian form. On the other hand, the rain cell diameter is derived from rain rate measurements as a power law model and substituted in the attenuation expression. The rain cell size model evaluated in this dissertation is based on point rain rate measurement data from the disdrometer located at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The “Synthetic Storm” technique is applied to develop the rain cell diameter distributions and the rain cell diameter model. In addition, the impact of the rain cell diameter size model in site diversity and cellular network-area planning for the region is discussed. To validate the model for terrestrial links, attenuation data collected from Durban, South Africa is used while that for satellite links, attenuation data from 15 links which are located in tropical climatic zones are used. In each case, the new model is tested against some well-known global rain attenuation prediction models including the standard ITU-R models. The performance of the proposed models for the sampled radio links based on error estimations shows that improvements have been achieved and may be regarded as a universal tropical model especially for satellite links. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.