Cette thèse porte sur la conception d’un système de mesure in-situ permettant de détecter les perturbations variables dans l’environnement proche d’un réseau d’antennes. Une première partie est consacrée à l’étude du bénéfice d’un tel système appliqué à un réseau de goniométrie. Une étude quantitative de la dégradation des performances de goniométrie sur porteur en présence d’obstacles variables est réalisée. Le deuxième point majeur de cette thèse est le choix de la technologie pour la conception du système de diagnostic. La Technique de diffusion modulée par l’optique (OMS) est sélectionnée. Un modèle de prédiction de la puissance rétrodiffusée par la sonde OMS a été élaboré afin de choisir la dimension de sonde optimale. Suite aux études théoriques, une sonde de 12 cm chargée par la photodiode (PDCS30T) a été réalisée. Des mesures en chambre anéchoïque ont été menées afin de valider le bilan de liaison et mesurer la sensibilité de la sonde à des obstacles proches. Finalement, une étude est réalisée afin d’étudier la sensibilité exigée par le réseau de diagnostic pour détecter la présence d’obstacles. Un dimensionnement du système global est calculé. / This thesis focuses on the design of an in-situ measurement system to detect variable disturbances in the near field of antenna arrays. The first part was focused on the study of the benefit of the monitoring system for direction finding antennas (DFA). A quantitative study of degradation of performances of DFA installed on a carrier in presence of variable obstacles was done. The second point of the study concerns the choice for the technology for the diagnostic system design. The Optically Modulated Scatterer Technique (OMS) is selected. A model that predicts the OMS backscattered power is developed to select the optimal dimension of the probe. Following the theoretical studies, a 12 cm OMS probe coupled to the nonlinear device (PDCS30T) was designed. Measurements in anechoic chamber were conducted to validate the budget link model and measure the sensitivity of the probe to nearby objects. Finally, a study is conducted to investigate the sensitivity required by the diagnostic probes for detecting the presence of obstacles. A dimensioning of the overall system is computed.

Cette thèse porte sur la conception d’un système de mesure in-situ permettant de détecter les perturbations variables dans l’environnement proche d’un réseau d’antennes. Une première partie est consacrée à l’étude du bénéfice d’un tel système appliqué à un réseau de goniométrie. Une étude quantitative de la dégradation des performances de goniométrie sur porteur en présence d’obstacles variables est réalisée. Le deuxième point majeur de cette thèse est le choix de la technologie pour la conception du système de diagnostic. La Technique de diffusion modulée par l’optique (OMS) est sélectionnée. Un modèle de prédiction de la puissance rétrodiffusée par la sonde OMS a été élaboré afin de choisir la dimension de sonde optimale. Suite aux études théoriques, une sonde de 12 cm chargée par la photodiode (PDCS30T) a été réalisée. Des mesures en chambre anéchoïque ont été menées afin de valider le bilan de liaison et mesurer la sensibilité de la sonde à des obstacles proches. Finalement, une étude est réalisée afin d’étudier la sensibilité exigée par le réseau de diagnostic pour détecter la présence d’obstacles. Un dimensionnement du système global est calculé. / This thesis focuses on the design of an in-situ measurement system to detect variable disturbances in the near field of antenna arrays. The first part was focused on the study of the benefit of the monitoring system for direction finding antennas (DFA). A quantitative study of degradation of performances of DFA installed on a carrier in presence of variable obstacles was done. The second point of the study concerns the choice for the technology for the diagnostic system design. The Optically Modulated Scatterer Technique (OMS) is selected. A model that predicts the OMS backscattered power is developed to select the optimal dimension of the probe. Following the theoretical studies, a 12 cm OMS probe coupled to the nonlinear device (PDCS30T) was designed. Measurements in anechoic chamber were conducted to validate the budget link model and measure the sensitivity of the probe to nearby objects. Finally, a study is conducted to investigate the sensitivity required by the diagnostic probes for detecting the presence of obstacles. A dimensioning of the overall system is computed.

This dissertation presents the contributions and the research conducted in developing and implementing Microwave Tomography (MWT) systems. MWT is an imaging modality which aims to interrogate an object of interest by microwave energy, and quantitatively “find” the interior spatial distribution of its dielectric properties using field measurements taken outside the object. Due to the inherent non-linearity of the MWT problem, a substantial amount of electromagnetic scattering data is required to ensure a robust inversion and quantitatively accurate imaging results. This research benefits a variety of applications including biomedical imaging, industrial non-destructive testing, and security applications. Developing a MWT system, requires many critical components including the bandwidth and polarization purity of the collected fields as well as calibration of the fields scattered by the object of interest. Two generations of MWT systems were designed, implemented, calibrated and tested at the University of Manitoba (UM). These systems aim different approaches for near-field measurements which are referred to as the direct and indirect methods. With regard to the antenna design, a novel methodology applicable to broadband planar antennas is introduced. This technique is based on a combination of field modelling, herein, the finite element method and transmission line modelling. In the first generation of the UM MWT systems, a suitable antenna system was utilized. The system under study was a prototype, where twenty-four co-resident antennas encircle the object of interest to directly measure the fields. In the second generation of the UM MWT systems, the feasibility of using a novel technique to indirectly measure the fields by a secondary array of near-field scatterer probes was studied. The technique is based on the Modulated Scatterer Technique (MST). In this system, antennas are called ``collectors", since the role of antennas are changed to collecting probes' scattered fields. A number of PIN diodes were utilized to activate the probes. Finally, the capability of the probe system was investigated and its performance with the previously constructed tomography systems was compared. Various dielectric phantoms were utilized to test the accuracy of the systems.

This dissertation presents the contributions and the research conducted in developing and implementing Microwave Tomography (MWT) systems. MWT is an imaging modality which aims to interrogate an object of interest by microwave energy, and quantitatively “find” the interior spatial distribution of its dielectric properties using field measurements taken outside the object. Due to the inherent non-linearity of the MWT problem, a substantial amount of electromagnetic scattering data is required to ensure a robust inversion and quantitatively accurate imaging results. This research benefits a variety of applications including biomedical imaging, industrial non-destructive testing, and security applications. Developing a MWT system, requires many critical components including the bandwidth and polarization purity of the collected fields as well as calibration of the fields scattered by the object of interest. Two generations of MWT systems were designed, implemented, calibrated and tested at the University of Manitoba (UM). These systems aim different approaches for near-field measurements which are referred to as the direct and indirect methods. With regard to the antenna design, a novel methodology applicable to broadband planar antennas is introduced. This technique is based on a combination of field modelling, herein, the finite element method and transmission line modelling. In the first generation of the UM MWT systems, a suitable antenna system was utilized. The system under study was a prototype, where twenty-four co-resident antennas encircle the object of interest to directly measure the fields. In the second generation of the UM MWT systems, the feasibility of using a novel technique to indirectly measure the fields by a secondary array of near-field scatterer probes was studied. The technique is based on the Modulated Scatterer Technique (MST). In this system, antennas are called ``collectors", since the role of antennas are changed to collecting probes' scattered fields. A number of PIN diodes were utilized to activate the probes. Finally, the capability of the probe system was investigated and its performance with the previously constructed tomography systems was compared. Various dielectric phantoms were utilized to test the accuracy of the systems.