The research presented in this thesis leverages silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology to develop microwave front-end electronics for active phased-array antennas. The highly integrated electronics will reduce costs and improve the feasibility of snow measurements from airborne and space-borne platforms. Chapter 1 presents the motivation of this research, focusing on the technological needs of snow measurement missions. The fundamentals and benefits of SiGe HBTs and phased-array antennas for these missions are discussed as well. Chapter 2 discusses SiGe power amplifier design considerations for radar systems. Basic power amplifier design concepts, power limitations in SiGe HBTs, and techniques for increasing the output power of SiGe HBT PAs are reviewed. Chapter 3 presents the design and characterization of a robust medium power X-band SiGe power amplifier for integration into a SiGe transmit/receive module. The PA design process applies the concepts presented in Chapter 2. A detailed investigation into measurement-to-simulation discrepancies is outlined as well. Chapter 4 discusses the development and characterization of a single-chip X-band SiGe T/R module for integration into a very thin, lightweight active phased array antenna panel. The system-on-package antenna combines the high performance and integration potential of SiGe technologies with advanced substrates and packaging techniques to develop a high performance scalable antenna panel using relatively low-cost materials and silicon-based electronics. The antenna panel presented in this chapter will enable airborne SCLP measurements and advance the technology towards an eventual space-based SCLP measurement instrument that will satisfy a critical Earth science need. Finally, Chapter 5 provides concluding remarks and discusses future research directions.

No description available.

Inkjet-printing is a technology which has for the last decade been exploited to fabricate flexible RF components such as antennas and planar circuit elements. However, the limitations of feature size and single layer fabrication prevented the demonstration of compact, and high efficiency RF components operating above 10 GHz into the mm-Wave regime which is critical to silicon integration and fully-printed modules. To overcome these limitations, a novel vertically-integrated fully inkjet-printed process has been developed and characterized up to the mm-Wave regime which incorporates up to five highly conductive metal layers, variable thickness dielectric layers ranging from 200 nm to 200 um, and low resistance through-layer via interconnects. This vertically-integrated inkjet printed electronics process, tagged VIPRE, is a first of its kind, and is utilized to demonstrate fully additive RF capacitors, inductors, antennas, and RF sensors operating up to 40 GHz. In this work, the first-ever fully inkjet printed multi-layer RF devices operating up to 40 GHz with high-performance are demonstrated, along with a demonstration of the processing techniques which have enabled the printing of multi-layer RF structures with multiple metal layers, and dielectric layers which are orders of magnitude thicker than previoulsy demonstrated inkjet-printed structures. The results of this work show the new possibilities in utilizing inkjet printing for the post-processing of high-efficiency RF inductors, capacitors, and antennas and antenna arrays on top of silicon to reduce chip area requirements, and for the production of entirely printed wireless modules.

The objective of this research is to develop an understanding of the trade-offs between performance and reliability in sub 100-nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS technologies. Such trade-offs can be used to demonstrate high performance reliable circuits in scaled technologies. Several CMOS reliability concerns such as hot-carrier stress, ionizing irradiation damage, RF stress, temperature effects, and single-event effects are studied. These reliability mechanisms can cause temporary or permanent damage to the semiconductor device and to the circuits using them. Several improvements are made to the device layout and process to achieve optimum performance. Parasitics are shown to play a dominant role in the performance and reliability of sub 100-nm devices. Various techniques are suggested to reduce these parasitics, such as the use of the following: a) optimum device-width, b) optimum gate-finger to gate-finger spacing, c) optimum source/drain metal contact spacing, and d) floating-body/body-contact. The major contributions from this research are summarized as follows: 1) Role of floating-body effects on the performance and reliability of sub 100-nm CMOS-on-SOI technologies is investigated for the first time [1], [2]. It is demonstrated through experimental data and TCAD simulations that floating-body devices have improved RF performance but degraded reliability compared to body-contacted devices. 2) Floating-body effects in a cascode core is studied. Cascode cores are demonstrated to achieve much larger reliability lifetimes than a single device. A variety of cascode topologies are studied to achieve the trade-o s between performance and reliability for high-power applications [2]. 3) The use of body-contact to modulate the performance of devices and single-poledouble- throw (SPDT) switches is studied. The SPDT switch performance is shown to improve with a negative body-bias. 4) The impact of device width on the RF performance and reliability is studied. Larger width devices are shown to have greater degradation, posing challenging questions for RF design in strained-Si technologies [3]. 5) A novel study showing the e ect of source/drain metal contact spacing and gate-finger to gate-finger spacing on the device RF performance is carried out. Further, the impact of above on the hot-carrier, RF stress, and total-dose irradiation tolerance is studied [3], [4]. 6) Latchup phenomenon in CMOS is shown to be possible at cryogenic temperatures (below 50 K), and its consequences are discussed [5]. 7) A time-dependent device degradation model has been developed in technology computer aided design (TCAD) to model reliability in CMOS and SiGe devices. 8) The total-dose irradiation tolerance and hot-carrier reliability of 32-nm CMOSon- SOI technology is reported for the first time. The impact of HfO2 based gate dielectric on the performance and reliability is studied [6]. 9) The impact of technology scaling from 65-nm to 32-nm on the performance and reliability of CMOS technologies is studied [6]. 10) Cryogenic performance and reliability of 45-nm nFETs is investigated. The RF performance improves significantly at 77 K. The hot-carrier device reliability is shown to improve at low temperatures in short-channel CMOS technologies.

Wireless communication is facing an increasingly severe spectrum scarcity problem. Hybrid free space optical (FSO)/ millimetre wavelength (MMW) radio frequency (RF) systems and cognitive radios are two candidate solutions. Hybrid FSO/RF can achieve high data rate transmission for wireless back haul. Cognitive radio transceivers can opportunistically access the underutilized spectrum resource of existing systems for new wireless services. In this work we carry out accurate performance analysis on these two transmission techniques. In particular, we present and analyze a switching based transmission scheme for a hybrid FSO/RF system. Specifically, either the FSO or RF link will be active at a certain time instance, with the FSO link enjoying a higher priority. We consider both a single threshold case and a dual threshold case for FSO link operation. Analytical expressions are obtained for the outage probability, average bit error rate and ergodic capacity for the resulting system. We also investigate the delay performance of secondary cognitive transmission with interweave implementation. We first derive the exact statistics of the extended delivery time, that includes both transmission time and waiting time, for a fixed-size secondary packet. Both work-preserving strategy (i.e. interrupted packets will resume transmission from where interrupted) and non-work-preserving strategy (i.e. interrupted packets will be retransmitted) are considered with various sensing schemes. Finally, we consider a M/G/1 queue set-up at the secondary user and derive the closed-form expressions for the expected delay with Poisson traffic. The analytical results will greatly facilitate the design of the secondary system for particular target application. / Graduate

檔案是產生者因其業務活動而產生，視該文件所具有的重要價值、稽憑價值與特殊價值等而被留存於各機關庫房內，當保存期限屆滿時，再將其移轉至適當的檔案典藏單位中典藏，並賦予法律、文化和研究等功用，讓社會大眾加以應用。因此檔案典藏單位是蒐集、整理、儲存與提供檔案資訊之處所，以妥善典藏檔案，並維護檔案安全為主要目的。其中庫房則是檔案典藏單位的中樞命脈。為能達到有效運用人力資源、減少找尋檔案所耗費的時間、即時掌握檔案動態、加速庫房清查等效能，檔案典藏單位可採取無線射頻識別(Radio Frequency Identification, RFID)協助管理工作。 本研究之目的主要分析檔案典藏單位與圖書館兩者於應用RFID之異同及探究國內檔案典藏單位運用RFID之可行性，以提出RFID應用於檔案典藏單位庫房管理之建議。本研究採用「深度訪談法」，主要訪談六所建置單位，以瞭解建置動機、使用成效及建置單位對RFID的看法等。並訪談五間檔案典藏單位對RFID應用之看法。 根據訪談結果，提出結論如下：一、圖書館運用RFID情形：RFID建置之初多以資訊背景人員為負責人，以提供多元服務予讀者為主要目的，且承辦RFID單位名稱多元化，使用時認為RFID於流通成效最佳，手持式讀寫器之成效則有待改善；二、檔案典藏單位庫房管理現況及RFID導入之可行性：研究結果發現金屬檔案架對RFID會產生干擾，且檔案典藏單位經費緊縮、需求性不如圖書館、政府推動電子化公文，無紙化世界即將來臨，將導致載體改變，會影響RFID應用。 由研究結果針對RFID應用於檔案典藏單位庫房管理可行性之研究歸納檔案使用率(utility rate)、館藏數量、庫房管理及撥用經費等四部分建議：一、建議優先使用RFID於檔案使用頻率較高的單位；二、建議優先使用RFID於館藏量較大的典藏單位；三、將RFID控管溫濕度功能應用至庫房管理；四、撥用經費建置RFID於部分檔案。 / Records are created in the process of executing various tasks and activities, whose intrinsic, evidential and special value is used to determine if such items require archiving. Upon expiration of records from these archives, subsequent appraisal and transfer to more suitable public archives allows society to use these records in legal, cultural, or research studies and fields, and also for other future uses. Thus, an archival repository is the ideal entity for the acquisition, organization, storage, and public access supplier for records, as well as serving a primary purpose of maintaining both a proper storage location and the security and preservation of records. Among the various responsibilities in an archival institute, storage is the most important aspect. In order to most efficiently utilize human resources and costs associated with searching and moving records, as well as to reduce collection inventory times, archival repositories can utilize RFID technology to aid in their administration responsibilities. This study analyzes and compares similarities and differences between RFID in archives and libraries, and also investigates RFID feasibility, and makes appropriate recommendations for RFID usage, applications, administration and usage models in archival repository management. This study used in-depth interviews, six from libraries, compiling their factors for RFID usage, results with the technology, and opinions regarding this new technology. In addition, five archives were interviewed regarding RFID applications and opinions. Based on these interviews, it can be concluded: First, in libraries, initial deployment of this technology used employees well-versed in information technology fields, RFID enables provision of multiple new user services, implementing department titles varied from place to place, circulation departments benefitted the most from RFID usage, and RFID handheld reader usage needs improved methods and results. Second, regarding current RFID usage in an archives institution, RFID usage in metal storage shelves has shown signal interference, RFID faces significantly higher cost barriers, funding issues show RFID is better suited for library usage models, government is shifting towards e-documents, and a global information paradigm shift from a physical paper medium to a paperless medium, will effect RFID applications. From these conclusions, four recommendations arise regarding the utilization rate of RFID, quantity of departments, storage administration, and sufficient funding: 1. RFID is more suitable in higher usage archival institutions. 2. RFID is more suitable in repositories with larger quantities of records. 3. RFID temperature and humidity features can be enabled for greater control and management in storage administration. 4. Sufficient funds must be allocated to implement RFID for important records.

Interference and jamming severely disrupt our ability to communicate by decreasing the effective signal-to-noise ratio and by making parameter estimation difficult at the receiver. The objective of this research work is to design robust wireless systems and algorithms to suppress the adverse effects of non-intentional co-channel interference (CCI) or intentional jamming. In particular, we develop chip-combining schemes with timing, channel, and noise-power estimation techniques, all of which mitigate CCI or jamming. We also exploit the spatial diversity and iterative receiver techniques for this purpose. Most of the existing timing estimation algorithms are robust against either large frequency offsets or CCI, but not against both at the same time. Hence, we develop a new frame boundary estimation method that is robust in the presence of severe co-channel interference and large carrier-frequency offsets. To solve the high peak-to-average-power ratio problem of a multicarrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) system and enhance its robustness against fading and jamming, we propose a constant-envelope MC-CDMA system employing cyclic delay diversity (CDD) as transmit diversity. We analyze the diversity order, coding gain, and bit-error rate upper bound. We also propose a blind, accurate, and computationally efficient signal-to-noise ratio estimator for the proposed system. We propose a configurable robust anti-jam receiver that estimates the frequency- or time-domain jammer state information (JSI) and uses it for chip combining in the corresponding domain. A soft-JSI-based chip-combining technique is proposed that outperforms conventional hard-JSI-based chip combining. We also derive a chip combiner that provides sufficient statistics to the decoder. Channel estimation is necessary for coherent signal detection and JSI estimation. Conversely, knowledge of the jamming signal power and JSI of different subcarriers can improve the accuracy of the channel estimates. Hence, we propose joint iterative estimation of the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channel coefficients, jamming power, and JSI for a coded MC-CDMA MIMO system operating under jamming and a time-varying frequency-selective fading channel. Finally, we reduce the computational complexity of the JSI-based anti-jam receivers by introducing an expectation-maximization-based joint channel and noise-covariance estimator that does not need either the subcarrier JSI or the individual powers of the AWGN and jamming signal.

Multipath remains a dominant error source in Global Positioning System (GPS) applications that require high accuracy. With the use of differential techniques it is possible to remove many of the common-mode error sources, but the error effects of multipath have proven much more difficult to mitigate. The research aim of this work is to enhance the understanding of multipath propagation and its effects in GPS terrestrial applications, through the modelling of signal propagation behaviour and the resultant error effects. Multipath propagation occurs when environmental features cause combinations of reflected and/or diffracted replica signals to arrive at the receiving antenna. These signals, in combination with the original line-of-sight (LOS) signal, can cause distortion of the receiver correlation function and ultimately the discrimination function and hence errors in range estimation. To date, a completely satisfactory mitigation strategy has yet to be developed. In the search for such a mitigation strategy, it is imperative that a comprehensive understanding of the multipath propagation environment and the resultant error effects exists. The work presented here, provides a comprehensive understanding through the use of new modelling and simulation techniques specific to GPS multipath. This dissertation unites the existing theory of radio frequency propagation for the GPS L1 signal into a coherent treatment of GPS propagation in the terrestrial environment. To further enhance the understanding of the multipath propagation environment and the resultant error effects, this dissertation also describes the design and development of a new parabolic equation (PE) based propagation model for analysis of GPS multipath propagation behaviour. The propagation model improves on previous PE-based models by incorporating terrain features, including boundary impedance properties, backscatter and time-domain decomposition of the field into a multipath impulse response. The results provide visualisation as well as the defining parameters necessary to fully describe the multipath propagation behaviour. These resultant parameters provide the input for a correlation and discrimination model for visualisation and the generation of resultant receiver error measurements. Results for a variety of propagation environments are presented and the technique is shown to provide a deterministic methodology against real GPS data. The unique and novel combined modelling of multipath propagation and reception, presented in this dissertation, provides an effective set of tools that have enhanced the understanding of the behaviour and effect of multipath in GPS applications, and ultimately should aid in providing a solution to the GPS multipath mitigation problem.

Localisation, which is a mechanism for discovering the spatial relationship between objects, is an area that has received considerable research and development in recent times. A common name given to localisation operations based on the absolute reference frame of Earth is Geolocation. One important example of geolocation research is E-911, where wireless carriers in the United States must provide the location of 911 callers. The operation of E-911 can be based on either a network configuration, or the Global Positioning System (GPS). With the importance of localisation being acknowledged, a review concerning the vulnerability of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is provided as background and motivation for this research. With the current vulnerability of GNSS, this dissertation presents the results of a research program undertaken with the objective of developing an electromagnetic localisation technique that can determine the relative position of GPS Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) sources. Intended for operation in a hostile environment, blind and passive localisation methodologies must be incorporated into the developed model. In performing localisation research, a background of current techniques is provided in addition to a review of current electromagnetic propagation models. From the review of propagation models, the Parabolic Equation Model (PEM) was chosen for investigation concerning localisation. The selection of PEM is due to model properties that are required for blind/passive localisation. The localisation system developed in this research program is based on the integration of inverse diffraction propagation (IDP) within the parabolic equation model. The title chosen for the localisation method is Inverse Diffraction Parabolic Equation Localisation System (IDPELS). This thesis presents the simulation and field trial results of IDPELS. Under simulation, the terrain or obstacle profiles were not based on any geodetic datum. Any estimate provided by IDPELS under simulation is therefore a "Localisation" solution. In the field trials however, IDPELS operation is referred to as "Geolocation" as geodetic datum's where used to determine the receiver's position. Under simulation analysis, IDPELS operation was considered to provide good promise as it could simultaneously perform localisation on multiple transmission sources. In each investigated simulation scenario, a display of signals amplitude (dB units) is displayed over the entire region. By determining the field convergence regions, a localisation estimate of IDPELS is provided. By defining the convergence regions as areas having the greatest signal amplitude values (i.e. ≥ 99%), elliptical areas as low as 3.2m² were considered to indicate an excellent localisation capability. With the theoretical validity of IDPELS operation in electromagnetics having been established under simulation, further investigation into the practical feasibility of the IDPELS was performed. The field trials positioned a continuous-wave (CW) transmission source at a known location. By measuring signal phasors along a straight section of road, the geodetic spatial-phase profile was used as the input signal for IDPELS. Road sections used were cross-wise to the transmitter's boresight. Many data sets were recorded, each being made over a sixty second time period. Different regions and ranges where used to continuously measure the spatial-phase profile of the signal with fixed antennas in a moving vehicle. Such a measurement process introduced an analogy with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) processes. In quantitating the accuracy of the IDPELS geolocation estimate in field trials, the linear error of range and cross-range components was analysed. A free-space PEM model was chosen for development of IDPELS and hence, data sets demonstrating properties of a free-space environment were able to be considered suitable for testing of the geolocation method. Data sets demonstrating free-space propagation characteristics were measured at the base of the Mt Lofty ranges in South Australia, where the range and cross-range error are respectively 3.14m, and 0.15m. Such low error values clearly demonstrate the practical feasibility of IDPELS geolocation. With the practical feasibility of IDPELS having been established in this research program, a novel contribution to electromagnetic geolocation methodologies is provided. An important characteristic of any geolocation technique concerns its robustness to operate in a wide variety of possible environments. With continued development of IDPELS, the robustness of this passive/blind geolocation technique can be enhanced. Further assistance with geolocation of multiple transmission sources is also indicated to be available by IDPELS, as shown in the simulation analysis.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Full text release at OhioLINK's ETD Center delayed at author's request