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<p> A method for the measurement of the microwave conductivity of a semiconductor subjected to a high electric field is described, which provides for varying angles between the microwave and applied electric field vectors. The results of measurements on 10 ohm-em. n-type germanium at 9.522 GHz with applied electric fields up to 3KV/cm are given. </p> <p> The measurements show that the microwave conductivity is controlled by the differential carrier mobility (∂V/∂E) for the condition of microwave and applied electric field vectors parallel. For the case of the fields at right angles the microwave conductivity is controlled by a carrier mobility intermediate between the d. c. mobility (v/B) and the differential mobility (∂V/∂E). </p> <p> Theoretical expressions for the performance of a proposed "Hot Electron Microwave Rotator" are developed. </p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

<p> A detailed theoretical analysis of the propagation constant and the field components in rectangular waveguide completely filled with a semiconductor subjected to an external transverse applied magnetic field, has been carried out. A numerical solution of the transcendental equation for the propagation constant has been obtained for the n-type germanium samples with different conductivities and magnetic fields. </p> <p> An experimental verification of this theoretical analysis has been made with a 22.2 ohm-em, n-type germanium sample at 9.46 GHz. The applied transverse magnetic field was varied from 0 to 10 Kilogauss. Measurements of the reflection co efficients at the air-semiconductor interface for different values of the applied magnetic field have been made with a high precision microwave reflection bridge. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical results. </p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

Backscatter radio - the broad class of systems that communicate using scattered electromagnetic waves - is the driving technology behind many compelling applications such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and passive sensors. These systems can be used in many ways including article tracking, position location, passive temperature sensors, passive data storage, and in many other systems which require information exchange between an interrogator and a small, low-cost transponder with little-to-no transponder power consumption. Although backscatter radio is maturing, such systems have limited communication range and reliability caused, in part, by multipath fading. The research presented in this dissertation investigates how multipath fading can be reduced using multiple antennas at the interrogator transmitter, interrogator receiver, and on the transponder, or RF tag. First, two link budgets for backscatter radio are presented and fading effects demonstrated through a realistic, 915 MHz, RFID-portal example. Each term in the link budget is explained and used to illuminate the propagation and high-frequency effects that influence RF tag operation. Second, analytic envelope distributions for the M x L x N, dyadic backscatter channel - the general channel in which a backscatter system with M transmitter, L RF tag, and N receiver antennas operates - are derived. The distributions show that multipath fading can be reduced using multiple-antenna RF tags and by using separate transmitter and receiver antenna arrays at the interrogator. These results are verified by fading measurements of the M x L x N, dyadic backscatter channel at 5.8 GHz - the center of the 5725-5850 MHz unlicensed industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) frequency band that offers reduced antenna size, increased antenna gain, and, in some cases, reduced object attachment losses compared to the commonly used 902-928 MHz ISM band. Measurements were taken with a custom backscatter testbed and details of its design are provided. In the end, this dissertation presents both theory and measurements that demonstrate multipath fading reductions for backscatter-radio systems that use multiple antennas.