Modern radar technology relies heavily on digital signal processing. As radar technology pushes the boundaries of miniaturization, computational systems must be developed to support the processing demand. One particular application for small radar technology is in modern drone systems. Many drone applications are currently inhibited by safety concerns of autonomous vehicles navigating shared airspace. Research in radar based Detect and Avoid (DAA) attempts to address these concerns by using radar to detect nearby aircraft and choosing an alternative flight path. Implementation of radar on small Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV), however, requires a lightweight and power efficient design. Likewise, the radar processing system must also be small and efficient. This thesis presents the design of the processing system for a small Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) phased array radar. The radar and processing is designed to be light-weight and low-power in order to fly onboard a UAV less than 25 kg in weight. The radar algorithms for this design include a parallelized Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), cross correlation, and beamforming. Target detection algorithms are also implemented. All of the computation is performed in real-time on a Xilinx Zynq 7010 System on Chip (SoC) processor utilizing both FPGA and CPU resources. The radar system (excluding antennas) has dimensions of 2.25 x 4 x 1.5 in3, weighs 120 g, and consumes 8 W of power of which the processing system occupies 2.6 W. The processing system performs over 652 million arithmetic operations per second and is capable of performing the full processing in real-time. The radar has also been tested in several scenarios both airborne on small UAVs as well as on the ground. Small UAVs have been detected to ranges of 350 m and larger aircraft up to 800 m. This thesis will describe the radar design architecture, the custom designed radar hardware, the FPGA based processing implementations, and conclude with an evaluation of the system's effectiveness and performance.

In the past decade, there has been an increased interest in low-cost, low-power, high data rate wireless systems for both commercial and defense applications. Some of these include air defense systems, remote sensing radars, and communication systems that are used for unmanned aerial vehicles, ground vehicles, and even the individual consumer. All of these applications require state-of-the-art technologies to push the limits on several design factors such as functionality, weight, size, conformity, and performance while remaining cost effective. There are several potential solutions to accomplish these objectives and a highly pursued path is through the utilization of advanced integrated system platforms with high frequency, versatile, multilayered materials. This work intends to explore advanced 3-D integration for state-of the art components in wireless systems using LCP multilayer organic platforms. Several packaging techniques are discussed that utilize the inherent benefits of this material. Wire bond, via interconnect, and flip-chip packages are implemented at RF and millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies to explore the benefits of each in terms of convenience, reliability, cost, and performance. These techniques are then utilized for the demonstration of bulk acoustic waveguide (BAW) filter applications and for the realization of highly integrated phased-array antenna systems.

Die zerstörungsfreie Ultraschallprüfung von akustisch anisotropen Werkstoffen stellt auch heute noch eine Herausforderung dar. Die Gefügestruktur in solchen Materialien beeinflusst die Wellenausbreitung derart, dass es zum einen zu starken Streuungen durch die großflächigen Korngrenzen und zum anderen, aufgrund der akustischen Anisotropie, zu einer Richtungsabhängigkeit der Schallgeschwindigkeiten kommt. In den vergangenen Jahren wurden bereits Lösungsansätze zur mathematischen Modellierung der Schallausbreitung in anisotropen Materialien vorgestellt. Diese basieren in der Regel auf FEM- bzw. FIT- Algorithmen, die durch die Diskretisierung des gesamten Volumens einen hohen Rechenaufwand erfordern und in der täglichen Prüfpraxis aufgrund ihrer Komplexität bei der Parametrierung nur bedingt einsetzbar sind. Aus diesem Grund wird hier ein Ansatz zur Schallfeldberechnung gewählt, der auf die praktische Anwendung von Gruppenstrahler-Prüfköpfen zugeschnitten ist. Während sich andere Verfahren auf einzelne Wellenanteile und monofrequente Lösungen beschränken, um den Rechenaufwand zu reduzieren, können mit diesem Ansatz die reale Signalform des Prüfkopfes sowie alle auftretenden Wellenanteile in homogenen transversalisotropen Medien berücksichtigt werden. Durch entsprechende Optimierungen im Berechnungsalgorithmus lässt sich das gesamte vierdimensionale Schallfeld eines Gruppenstrahler-Prüfkopfes im Halbraum in kürzester Zeit berechnen. Die analytische Lösung der Wellengleichung für den Halbraum in Form einer Greenschen Funktion wird dabei in eine Gleichung umgeformt, die hier als vierdimensionale Punktrichtwirkung bezeichnet wird. Dieser Modellansatz ermöglicht es, die Parameter eines Gruppenstrahlersystems in der praktischen Anwendung zu überprüfen und durch iterative Rechnungen zu optimieren. Mit Hilfe einer einfach zu handhabenden Visualisierungstechnik ist es möglich diesen Modellansatz mit realen Schallfeldmessungen zu vergleichen. Dazu werden mit elektrodynamischen Sonden die einzelnen Komponenten des dreidimensionalen Vektors der Teilchenverschiebung an der Oberfläche von Festkörpern abgetastet. Die an den Messpunkten ermittelten Zeitfunktionen des Verschiebungsvektors werden dann dem berechneten Zeitverlauf der Wellenausbreitung gegenübergestellt. Die berechneten und gemessenen Schallfelder stimmen in der Phasenlage und im Amplitudenverlauf gut überein. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass mit dem verwendeten Rechenmodell alle in der Realität auftretenden Wellenanteile vollständig berücksichtigt werden und dreidimensionale Problemstellungen aus der Praxis mit diesem Modell korrekt berechnet werden können. / The non-destructive ultrasonic testing of acoustic anisotropic materials is an important challenge. The texture of these materials causes a strong scattering of the sound wave by the extensive grain boundaries and a direction dependent sound velocity by the acoustic anisotropy. Several approaches for the modelling of the sound propagation in anisotropic materials were presented in the last years. These approaches are normally based on FEM or FIT algorithms using a discretisation of the complete volume. Their calculation needs extensive time and a very complex parameterisation. Thus these algorithms are not suitable in practice of ultrasonic testing. In this work an approach is presented that is optimised for the application of phased array transducers. The new approach considers the real frequency spectrum of the transducer as well as all occurring wave modes in homogeneous transversely isotropic media, whereas other approaches are limited to solutions for single wave modes and single frequencies to reduce the calculation effort. The appropriate optimisations of the mathematical algorithm allow the fast calculation of the complete four-dimensional transient wave field of a phased array transducer in the half-space. The Green’s functions are derived by an analytical solution of the elastodynamic wave equation for the half-space. These functions will be transformed into an equation which will be referred to in this work as four-dimensional directivity pattern. This approach allows the verification of the parameters of a phased array system and their optimisation by iterative calculations in the practical application. To get accurate results in these calculations, the experimental verification of the applied mathematical model for the wave propagation is an essential task. The technique presented in this work applies electrodynamic probes, which provides a simple use. The probes can detect the particle displacement at a solid surface in all three spatial directions. The measured time-functions of the wave field will be compared with the calculated time-functions. They show a good accordance in the phase and the amplitude. This confirms that the applied mathematical model considers completely all in practice occurring wave modes. The results further show that three-dimensional problems in practice can be calculated correctly with this model.

Recent developments in the area of microfabrication technologies, has enabled the fabrication of many radio frequency/microwave components with better performance and lower cost than possible with semiconductor based fabrication technology. Many of these microfabricated RF components such as switches and phase shifters, popularly known as RF MEMS, are aimed at reducing the insertion loss and improving other performance parameters such as linearity. For these devices size miniaturization is not necessarily important, as in practical subsystems, these components are integrated with RF front-ends on a laminate. This thesis deals with concepts of a low cost passive phase shifter fabricated in-situ on a microwave laminate. The operation of this Mesoscale Electrostatically actuated Phase shifter on microwave Laminate (MEPL) is similar to that of a micromachined distributed MEMS transmission line (DMTL) phase shifter. In spite of advantages of low losses, wide bandwidth, low DC power consumption and high linearity over semiconductor/MMIC technology, microfabricated phase shifters are often not used in field because of issues related to fabrication reliability, packaging and integration. On the other hand, the proposed MEPL will have all the advantages of conventional MEMS phase shifters with additional benefit of lower cost. Furthermore, these are integrable to form a monolithic phased array. A MEPL phase shifter of 50-bridges periodically distributed on the co-planar waveguide (CPW) transmission line is demonstrated in this thesis. MEMS air bridges are electrostatically actuated to vary the capacitance of the transmission line, which changes the phase velocity of the propagation RF signal, consequently phase at the output port. The realized MEPL is characterized for electromagnetic as well as electromechanical performance. The electromechanical characterization of this device is performed using a Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV). The measured data showed good agreement with the analytical data.. Major application of a phase shifter is in a phased array antenna system. MEPL is particularly suited for a monolithic phase array antenna. The proposed monolithic phased array antenna system fabrication approach utilizes extremely simple and economical modern printed circuit board technology to pattern the conventional microwave laminate and copper foil. A complete monolithic phased array antenna system is fabricated on a microwave laminate using an embedded phase shifter operating with electrostatic principles. Other components such as DC block and bias tee are integrated into the CPW-microstrip transitions to optimize the space and performance. Integrated phased array antenna is fabricated and tested to demonstrate the beam steering capability. Measured S11 is better than -15dB at the operating frequency of 9.8GHz. The beam steering capability is shown as proof of concept by showing the beam scan angle of 10deg with bias voltage of 125V. The mesoscale phase shifter demonstrated in this thesis has several advantages compared to micromachined phase shifters. The proposed fabrication approach does not use metal deposition/patterning process, which removes the need of high cost clean room and sophisticated films deposition equipments. Secondly, as there are no thin films used, stiction is not expected on phase shifters fabricated with this approach. Since this approach uses thicker metal films, the power handling capability is expected to be significantly higher than micromachined phase shifters. Since conventional phased array antenna system components are fabricated on a microwave laminate, micro machined phase shifters realized on semiconductor substrates are required to be packaged separately before integrating with such phased array circuits. Packaging of the micro-machined RF-MEMS/MEMS devices is still a major issue and contributes to a substantial part of the total cost. Unlike micromachined phase shifters which are required to be packaged and then embedded in phased array applications, device presented in this thesis is packaged in-situ. Compared to similar monolithic phased array antenna reported on silicon substrate which are limited by wafer size, these arrays can be easily extended for larger arrays on microwave laminate as these are available in large size. To summarize, the proposed fabrication approach for phase shifters overcomes many limitations of micromachined components for microwave applications while retaining most of their advantages compared to other existing approaches based on ferrites or semiconductor technologies.

The Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) industry has seen tremendous developments over the past several decades and state-of-the-art fabrication technology has likewise been developed. This fabrication technology develops Photonic Integrate Circuits (PIC) which can guide, split, and modulate photonic waves within a small chip scale. On-chip optical phased arrayed waveguides that operate at high power overcome the current limitations of some conventional applications. This paper discusses two applications of on-chip optical waveguide systems: optical phased array (OPA)-based Light Detection and Range (LiDAR) and waveguide array Dielectric Laser Accelerator (DLA). Both the LiDAR and DLA structures require similar properties to achieve optimized performance. These properties are as follows: capability to handle high power, the ability to split the high power evenly through several waveguide branches and distribute the same degree of optical phase on each branch at specific spatial locations, efficient designs of active phase-tuning structures, and the ability to re-combine several waveguide branches into the sub-wavelength pitch spacing array without crosstalk. Additionally, both structures must resolve specific fabrication challenges on each waveguide component. To address these issues, this paper discusses the theoretical reviews of OPA, the Laser-Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) of optical waveguide materials, and techniques to reduce crosstalk in sub-wavelength pitch size arrays, such as extreme skin-depth (e-skid) waveguides and propagation constant mismatched waveguides. We propose optimized designs for both OPA-based LiDAR and waveguide array DLA with passive and active devices, respectively, and explain the optimized parameters and its simulation results for each component from the full layout of devices. Furthermore, we discuss the fabrication process of the devices and show the resolutions of fabrication challenges, such as trapping void gaps in an e-skid array structure, writing errors of electron beam lithography of large dense patterns, and silicon nitride to silicon hybrid waveguide pattern alignments. Next, we show the experimental setups and the measurement results from the fabricated OPA devices and analyze the results. Finally, this paper concludes the research of the proposed devices and proposes more designs for both OPA-based LiDAR and waveguide arrayed DLA structures that can further increase increase its performance.<br>

Die zerstörungsfreie Ultraschallprüfung von akustisch anisotropen Werkstoffen stellt auch heute noch eine Herausforderung dar. Die Gefügestruktur in solchen Materialien beeinflusst die Wellenausbreitung derart, dass es zum einen zu starken Streuungen durch die großflächigen Korngrenzen und zum anderen, aufgrund der akustischen Anisotropie, zu einer Richtungsabhängigkeit der Schallgeschwindigkeiten kommt. In den vergangenen Jahren wurden bereits Lösungsansätze zur mathematischen Modellierung der Schallausbreitung in anisotropen Materialien vorgestellt. Diese basieren in der Regel auf FEM- bzw. FIT- Algorithmen, die durch die Diskretisierung des gesamten Volumens einen hohen Rechenaufwand erfordern und in der täglichen Prüfpraxis aufgrund ihrer Komplexität bei der Parametrierung nur bedingt einsetzbar sind. Aus diesem Grund wird hier ein Ansatz zur Schallfeldberechnung gewählt, der auf die praktische Anwendung von Gruppenstrahler-Prüfköpfen zugeschnitten ist. Während sich andere Verfahren auf einzelne Wellenanteile und monofrequente Lösungen beschränken, um den Rechenaufwand zu reduzieren, können mit diesem Ansatz die reale Signalform des Prüfkopfes sowie alle auftretenden Wellenanteile in homogenen transversalisotropen Medien berücksichtigt werden. Durch entsprechende Optimierungen im Berechnungsalgorithmus lässt sich das gesamte vierdimensionale Schallfeld eines Gruppenstrahler-Prüfkopfes im Halbraum in kürzester Zeit berechnen. Die analytische Lösung der Wellengleichung für den Halbraum in Form einer Greenschen Funktion wird dabei in eine Gleichung umgeformt, die hier als vierdimensionale Punktrichtwirkung bezeichnet wird. Dieser Modellansatz ermöglicht es, die Parameter eines Gruppenstrahlersystems in der praktischen Anwendung zu überprüfen und durch iterative Rechnungen zu optimieren. Mit Hilfe einer einfach zu handhabenden Visualisierungstechnik ist es möglich diesen Modellansatz mit realen Schallfeldmessungen zu vergleichen. Dazu werden mit elektrodynamischen Sonden die einzelnen Komponenten des dreidimensionalen Vektors der Teilchenverschiebung an der Oberfläche von Festkörpern abgetastet. Die an den Messpunkten ermittelten Zeitfunktionen des Verschiebungsvektors werden dann dem berechneten Zeitverlauf der Wellenausbreitung gegenübergestellt. Die berechneten und gemessenen Schallfelder stimmen in der Phasenlage und im Amplitudenverlauf gut überein. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass mit dem verwendeten Rechenmodell alle in der Realität auftretenden Wellenanteile vollständig berücksichtigt werden und dreidimensionale Problemstellungen aus der Praxis mit diesem Modell korrekt berechnet werden können. / The non-destructive ultrasonic testing of acoustic anisotropic materials is an important challenge. The texture of these materials causes a strong scattering of the sound wave by the extensive grain boundaries and a direction dependent sound velocity by the acoustic anisotropy. Several approaches for the modelling of the sound propagation in anisotropic materials were presented in the last years. These approaches are normally based on FEM or FIT algorithms using a discretisation of the complete volume. Their calculation needs extensive time and a very complex parameterisation. Thus these algorithms are not suitable in practice of ultrasonic testing. In this work an approach is presented that is optimised for the application of phased array transducers. The new approach considers the real frequency spectrum of the transducer as well as all occurring wave modes in homogeneous transversely isotropic media, whereas other approaches are limited to solutions for single wave modes and single frequencies to reduce the calculation effort. The appropriate optimisations of the mathematical algorithm allow the fast calculation of the complete four-dimensional transient wave field of a phased array transducer in the half-space. The Green’s functions are derived by an analytical solution of the elastodynamic wave equation for the half-space. These functions will be transformed into an equation which will be referred to in this work as four-dimensional directivity pattern. This approach allows the verification of the parameters of a phased array system and their optimisation by iterative calculations in the practical application. To get accurate results in these calculations, the experimental verification of the applied mathematical model for the wave propagation is an essential task. The technique presented in this work applies electrodynamic probes, which provides a simple use. The probes can detect the particle displacement at a solid surface in all three spatial directions. The measured time-functions of the wave field will be compared with the calculated time-functions. They show a good accordance in the phase and the amplitude. This confirms that the applied mathematical model considers completely all in practice occurring wave modes. The results further show that three-dimensional problems in practice can be calculated correctly with this model.

Dans un monde où l’information va de plus en plus vite, il est important de pouvoir rester connecté en permanence. De nouvelles solutions émergent pour connecter les passagers à bord d’un avion grâce aux communications par satellite. Parmi elles, on retrouve les antennes à pointage électronique dans lesquelles cette thèse de doctorat s’intègre. Une étude sur les différentes antennes existantes ou en projet est présentée. Les puces électroniques MMIC AsGa permettent d’appliquer des lois d’amplitude et de phase pour chaque élément rayonnant d’une antenne réseau. Cette thèse de doctorat porte sur la conception d’un déphaseur, après avoir étudié les technologies et les topologies de celui-ci. Ensuite, la conception d’un amplificateur faible bruit à gain variable est proposée à partir d’un état de l’art. Les résultats de simulation et de mesures de ces deux fonctions sont exposés. / In a world where the information is moving faster and faster, it is important to be able to stay connected continuously. Some new solutions for air transport connectivity are in development thanks to the rise of satellite communications. This thesis work is part of an electronically steerable antenna array project, developed as a solution to achieve In-Flight Connectivity in Ka-band. A state- of-the art review on electronically steerable antenna arrays is also presented. In these arrays, each radiating element needs a specific amplitude and phase to obtain a scanning beam by adding their contribution. This thesis focus on the design of a GaAs MMIC chip inclusion two functions: a phase shifter and a variable-gain low-noise amplifier. The simulation and measurement results are presented for these two functions.

No description available.

Phased array feeds (PAFs) are a promising new technology for astronomical radio telescopes. While PAFs have been used in other fields, the demanding sensitivity and calibration requirements in astronomy present unique new challenges. This dissertation presents some of the first astronomical PAF results demonstrating the lowest noise temperature and highest sensitivity at the time (66 Kelvin and 3.3 m^2/K, respectively), obtained using a narrowband (425 kHz bandwidth) prototype array of 19 linear co-polarized L-band dipoles mounted at the focus of the Green Bank 20 Meter Telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, West Virginia. Results include spectral line detection of hydroxyl (OH) sources W49N and W3OH, and some of the first radio camera images made using a PAF, including an image of the Cygnus X region. A novel array Y-factor technique for measuring the isotropic noise response of the array is shown along with experimental measurements for this PAF. Statistically optimal beamformers (Maximum SNR and MVDR) are used throughout the work. Radio-frequency interference (RFI) mitigation is demonstrated experimentally using spatial cancelation with the PAF. Improved RFI mitigation is achieved in the challenging cases of low interference-to-noise ratio (INR) and moving interference by combining subspace projection (SP) beamforming with a polynomial model to track a rank 1 subspace. Limiting factors in SP are investigated including sample estimation error, subspace smearing, noise bias, and spectral scooping; each of these factors is overcome with the polynomial model and prewhitening. Numerical optimization leads to the polynomial subspace projection (PSP) method, and least-squares fitting to the series of dominant eigenvectors over a series of short term integrations (STIs) leads to the eigenvector polynomial subspace projection (EPSP) method. Expressions for the gradient, Hessian, and Jacobian are given for use in numerical optimization. Results are given for simulated and experimental data, demonstrating deeper beampattern nulls by 6 to 30dB. To increase the system bandwidth toward the hundreds of MHz bandwidth required by astronomers for a fully science-ready instrument, an FPGA digital backend is introduced using a 64-input analog-to-digital converter running at 50 Msamp/sec and the ROACH processing board developed at the University of California, Berkeley. International efforts to develop digital back ends for large antenna arrays are considered, and a road map is proposed for development of a hardware correlator/beamformer at BYU using three ROACH boards communicating over 10 gigabit Ethernet.

Among the research topics needing to be addressed to further the development of phased array feeds (PAFs) for radio astronomical use are challenges associated with calibration, beamforming, and imaging for single dish observations. This dissertation addresses these concerns by providing analysis and solutions that provide a clearer understanding of the effort required to implement PAFs for complex scientific research. It is shown that calibration data are relatively stable over a period of five days and may still be adequate after 70 days. A calibration update system is presented with the potential to refresh old calibrators. Direction-dependent variations have a much greater affect on calibration stability than temporal variations. There is an inherent trade-off in beamformer design between achieving high sensitivity and maintaining beam pattern stability. A hybrid beamformer design is introduced which uses a numerical optimizer to balance the trade-off between these two conflicting goals to provide the greatest sensitivity for a desired amount of pattern control. Relative beam variations that occur when electronically steering beams in the field of view must be reduced in order for a PAF to be useful for source detection and imaging. A dual constraint beamformer is presented that has the ability to simultaneously achieve a uniform main beam gain and specified noise response across all beams. This alone does not reduce the beam variations but it eliminates one aspect of the problem. Incorporating spillover noise control through the use of rim calibrators is shown to reduce the variations between beams. Combining the dual constraint and rim constraint beamformers offers a beamforming option that provides both of these benefits.