M.Tech. (Electrical Engineering) / Please refer to full text for abstract

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.

Modern wireless communication systems call for ultra wideband operations to meet the continuous growth in the number of users of these systems. Since antenna is an integral part of any wireless communication system (transmitter or receiver), designing antennas with good gain over large bandwidth needs to be considered first. To meet the popular demand, wireless communication systems should be as cheap as possible which require antennas with small size, light weight, low profile and low cost, and that are easy to fabricate and assemble. A type of antenna that satisfies most of these requirements is the microstrip antenna. Most of the wideband techniques for microstrip antennas utilize complicated geometries such as stacked multiple metal/dielectric layers, complicated feed arrangements etc., which elude the primary attraction of microstrip antennas. On the other hand, single layer suspended configurations are considered the best choice as these are simple to fabricate and assemble. The objective of this research is to investigate simple microstrip antennas with large bandwidth. A single layer suspended microstrip configuration was chosen for the purpose. In the first part of the research, the bandwidth was increased to about 50% with linear phase characteristics by optimizing the feed configurations while retaining the overall simplicity. This study has resulted in proposing a criterion for obtaining maximum bandwidth in the suspended microstrip configuration. An analytical model has been developed for such an antenna configuration. Although several analytical tools are available for the microstrip antenna analysis, equivalent circuit based approach proves to be a simple one and offers convincingly accurate results. Another advantage of the proposed equivalent circuit modeling scheme is that it is suitable for computer aided design (CAD). In order to make this approach even more useful, the antenna designed in the first part was modified to meet desired specifications such as reduction in the air gap to make the antenna compact, symmetrical patterns, making antenna circularly polarized (LHCP or RHCP) without changing the feed configuration. Nearly symmetrical patterns were obtained throughout the band of operation by modifying the profile of patch close to the feed strip. Circular polarization (CP) operation has been obtained from the basic antenna by cutting a diagonal slot on the radiator patch. Here the slot orientation decides the type of CP i.e., LHCP or RHCP. In this work obtained of 7.1% axial ratio (3dB) bandwidth with other characteristics unaffected. The overall height of the antenna is reduced by 55% by cutting a slot and re-optimizing the feed strip dimensions. These studies emphasize flexibility offered by the design approach in realizing practical antennas for various applications.

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Microwave tubes are the choice of a wide range of high power and millimeter wave applications in radar, electronic warfare and communication systems. Advances in these devices are due to device innovation, improved modeling, and development of advanced materials. In a microwave tube, electron emitter is the source of electron beam and it is one of the vital components determining the life & performance of the device. High power, high frequency microwave tubes require electron emitters with high emission density. The present thesis aims at developing the materials for high emission density electron emitters. It is aimed to improve the emission density of thermionic cathodes for use in conventional microwave tubes and to develop cold emitters like ferroelectric cathodes for high power microwave devices. The work reported in the present thesis is a modest attempt of the author towards this aim. The thesis is organized in six chapters. Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction of thermionic and ferroelectric emitters. Different types of electron emission mechanisms and a brief background of thermionic and ferroelectricemitters are discussed in this chapter. The genesis of the problem taken up and its importance as well as the plan and scope of the work is also given in this chapter. In Chapter 2, the basic experimental techniques used in the present work are discussed. Preparation of mixed metal matrix and M- type dispenser cathodes and their characterization techniques has been discussed in this chapter. Subsequently, ferroelectric materials preparation and characterization for their material properties and electron emission has been discussed. A brief introduction to FEM software ANSYS, used for thermal analysis of dispenser cathodes and electrostatic field analysis of ferroelectric cathodes, has been given at the end of this chapter. Thermal analysis, development process, emission characterization, work function distribution, of W-Ir mixed metal matrix (MM type) cathodes and a simple innovative technique to estimate the barium evaporation rate from the emission data of the dispenser cathodes is presented in Chapter 3. Under normal microwave tube operating conditions, the cathode of the electron gun has to be heated up to 1050°C to obtain stable thermionic electron emission. Thermal analysis is a first step in the development process of cathodes, optimizing its structure for improved performance with respect to its operating power, warm-up time and efficiency. Thermal analysis of a dispenser cathode in electron gun environment using the FEM software ANSYS and its experimental validation are presented. Development of porous W-Ir mixed metal matrix material required for dispenser cathode applications has been discussed. Determination of pore size, pore density and pore uniformity has been carried out. The performance of the cathodes made with these pellets is at par with the results reported in the literature. The surface of mixed metal pellet is an inherently two-phase structure consisting of tungsten solid solution phase and W-Ir ε phase causing more spread in the spatial distribution of work function. W-Ir mixed metal matrix cathodes have been realized and their work function distribution has been determined form the measured I-V characteristics. Also in this chapter, a novel technique for estimation of barium evaporation rate for dispenser cathodes from their I-V characteristics is presented. Results of life test carried out on these cathodes are given at the end of the chapter. In Chapter 4, work carried out on enhancing the emission properties of mixed metal matrix cathodes by suitably modifying the impregnant mix is discussed. W-Ir MM type cathodes discussed in the previous chapter give a emission current density of ~ 7.5A/cm2 with a work function of 1.99 eV. Thesevalues are very close to that of B-type cathode. In this chapter, it is explored to suitably dope the 5BaO:3CaO:2Al2O3 impregnant mix to reduce the work function of W-Ir cathodes. Lithium and Scandium oxides have been added to the 5:3:2 imp regnant mix. Lithium oxide doped impregnated MM type cathodes have given more than 30 A/cm2 current density at 1050oC. For scandium oxide doped MM type cathodes current density has increased to 15 A/cm2 at the same temperature. In Chapter 5, Electron emission from the ferroelectric cathodes has been discussed. FEM simulation of Ferroelectric cathodes to study the electrical excitation effects on emission. Triple point electric field in FE Cathodes is very large and can lead to field emission from the metallic grid at triple points. FEM simulation has been carried out to find out the effect of grid thickness on triple junction electric field using ANSYS software. From FEM modeling it is also seen that if a dielectric layer of lower dielectric constant (εr≤10) is placed between the grid and the ferroelectric material the triple junction electric field increases three fold. Use of dielectric layer can also reduce the secondary electron coefficient (δ) and surface plasma generation. Lanthanum doped PZT has been chosen for the study and these materials have been tested in diode configuration for emission characterization in demountable vacuum systems. Repeatable electron emission has been achieved for all the three compositions of PLZT (x/65/35) material (x = 7, 8, 9). However, it has been observed that when the ferroelectric is subjected to repetitive unipolar electrical excitation, fatigue is set in and cathode material is cracking. To study the effect of domain switching on the residual stress in the ferroelectric material, XRD studies have been carried out. Shift in XRD peaks for fresh and emission tested samples has been used to calculate the residual stress developed in the samples. Details of High current switch realized using ferroelectric cathodes have been discussed. Chapter 6 gives the Summary of the work done and suggestions for further research on W-Ir mixed metal matrix cathodes and ferroelectric cathodes.