Universiẗat, Diss., 2004--Bremen.

Terahertz source technology has been an active area of research for a number of years. This has helped develop continuous wave solid-state sources that are highly desirable in a wide range of applications spanning from Earth science to medical science. However, even with advances in terahertz technology, the generation of fundamental source power at these frequencies is still challenging. Promising electronic solid-state devices fall short in overcoming source power shortage due to electronic breakdown mechanism and fabrication limits at terahertz frequencies. The fundamental physical limitation of photonic devices, such as low photon energy, force cryogenic operation which at times is impractical. Schottky diode frequency multipliers often offer a very practical solution for generating continuous wave radiation based on solid-state technology. This harmonic source technology is today a most certain candidate for many applications where compactness and room temperature operation is desired. However, despite of all the advances in Schottky diode fabrication and their use in frequency multiplication, output power falls rapidly with increasing frequency. Thermal constrains, fabrication limits, assembly errors and parasitic losses all constitute changes that affect the performance of these devices and make it difficult to reproduce experimental data. To overcome these problems and progress towards the generation of milliwatts of power at terahertz frequencies, the study of existing methods to generate and handle high power is necessary. In the first part of the thesis, the design, fabrication and development of two Schottky diode-based frequency doublers is discussed. The work focuses on the generation of high-power sources that are capable of handling higher input powers while maintaining good thermal efficiencies. A detailed study into the machining tolerances, assembly errors and temperature effects are evaluated for the frequency doublers. High frequency effect such as velocity saturation is also addressed. Depending on the design frequency and power handling, two different circuit configurations are employed for the frequency doublers. While the high-power 80/160 GHz frequency doubler used a discrete flip-chip diode configuration, the 160/320 GHz frequency doubler employed an integrated diode membrane to mitigate sensitivity issues encountered during assembly and enable correlation between simulated and measured data. The second part proposes the use of millimeter-wave Schottky diode-based radiometers for imaging of composites samples. The focus of this experiment is the introduction of an alternate EM inspection method with the use of broadband Schottky diode components. This technique combines two different fields {--} non-destructive testing and radiometry, which presents a potentially new and interesting area for research. Since no single method can qualify to be the most accurate for all inspections, and with the future integration bringing down manufacturing costs of high frequency components, this demonstration presents a new approach to consider for future material imaging and evaluation experiments.

Orientadores: Jacobus Willibrordus Swart, Pierre Kaufmann / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T19:46:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fernandes_LuisOlavodeToledo_M.pdf: 8033391 bytes, checksum: 7b7a925bf8a485ca4f76b7c8380299b3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: O telescópio solar submilimétrico operando nas freqüências de 212 e 405 GHz detectou uma nova componente espectral das emissões de explosões solares, com máximo em algum ponto da faixa Terahertz, simultaneamente com a conhecida componente espectral em microondas, trazendo sérios desafios para interpretação. O diagnostico deste tipo de emissão transiente em freqüências THz traz desafios tecnológicos que são objetivo deste estudo. Este projeto consiste em um estudo das características de filtros e sensores não refrigerados para aplicação em projeto aeroespacial na faixa Terahertz do espectro eletromagnético. Foram estudados e caracterizados detectores bolométrico, piroeletrico, e optoacustico, precedidos por filtros passa-baixa que suprimem a radiação na faixa do visível e infravermelho próximo do espectro eletromagnético, filtros passa-banda centrados na freqüência THz desejada, e modulador mecânico. O detector a célula de Golay mostrou ser o mais sensível. Foi selecionado para o protótipo de fotômetro THz que serviu para definir parâmetros de projeto para o modelo de vôo, para observação solar fora da atmosfera terrestre, em balões estratosféricos, satélites, ou estações no solo com atmosfera excepcionalmente transparente. O sistema foi concebido para observar todo o disco solar e detectar pequenas variações relativas de temperatura causadas por explosões em regiões especifica do Sol. Obteve-se mínima detectabilidade de variações relativas de temperatura da ordem de 1 K com resolução temporal de subsegundo / Abstract: The solar submillimeter-wave telescope, operating at 212 and 405 GHz frequencies detected a new flare spectral component emission, peaking in the THz range, simultaneously with the well known microwaves component, bringing challenging constrains for interpretation. The diagnostics of this kind of transient emission at THz frequencies also bring technical challenges, which are the subject of this study. The project consists in a study of the characteristics of filters and uncooled detectors for aerospace project application at THz range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Three types of uncooled sensors were tested: bolometric, pyroelectric, and optoacoustic, proceeded by low-pass filters to suppress the visible and infrared radiation, band-pass filter centered at THz frequency, and a chopper. The Golay cell sensor was considered the most sensible detector of all, and was selected for the photometer prototype THz system to observe the Sun outside the terrestrial atmosphere on stratospheric balloons or satellites, or at exceptionally transparent ground stations. The system was designed to observe the whole solar disk detecting small relative changes in input temperature caused by flares at localized positions of the Sun. The minimum relative temperature variation detected was about 1 K with subsecond time resolution / Mestrado / Eletrônica, Microeletrônica e Optoeletrônica / Mestre em Engenharia Elétrica

No description available.

Spaceborne microwave sensors are powerful tools for monitoring the impacts of global climate change on the Greenland ice sheet. This dissertation focuses on refining methods for applying microwave data in Greenland studies by using new simple theoretical and empirical models to investigate (1) azimuth anisotropies in the data, (2) the microwave signature of the snow surface, (3) detection of snow melt, and (4) classification of snow melt. The results are applicable for identifying geophysical properties of the snow surface and monitoring changes on the ice sheet in relation to melt duration/extent, accumulation, and wind patterns. Azimuth dependence of the normalized radar cross-section (sigma-0) over the Greenland ice sheet is modeled with a simple surface scattering model. The model assumes that azimuth anisotropy in 1-100 meter scale surface roughness is the primary mechanism driving the azimuth modulation. This model is inverted to estimate snow surface properties using sigma-0 measurements from the C-band European Remote Sensing Advanced Microwave Instrument (ERS) in scatterometer mode. The largest roughness estimates occur in the lower portions of the dry snow zone. Estimates of the preferential direction in surface roughness are highly correlated with katabatic wind fields over Greenland. A new observation model is introduced that uses a limited number of parameters to characterize the snow surface based on the dependence of radar backscatter on incidence angle, azimuth angle, spatial gradient, and temporal rate of change. The individual model parameters are discussed in depth with examples using data from the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) and from the ERS. The model may be applied for increased accuracy in scatterometer, SAR, and wide-angle SAR studies. Examples illustrating the use of the model are included with one application focusing on analysis of inter-annual change and another focusing on increased sensitivity in studies of intra-annual change. Six different melt detection method/sensor combinations are compared using data for the summer of 2000. The sensors include the Special Spectral Microwave Imager (SSM/I), SeaWinds on QuikSCAT (QSCAT), and ERS. A new method of melt detection is introduced that is based on a simple physical model relating the moisture content and depth of a layer of wet surface snow to a single channel melt detection threshold. The model can be applied to both active and passive sensors. Model-based melt estimates from different sensors are highly correlated and do not exhibit the unnatural phenomenon observed with previous methods. Trends in SSM/I channel ratios are used to differentiate subsurface and surface melt. For ablation estimation, this separation is important due to expected differences in the ablation rate for the two melt types. Evidences of the daily melt refreeze cycle are observed in the diurnal variation of the different brightness temperature channel ratios. The polarization ratio increases during periods of surface melt while the frequency ratio remains relatively constant. The frequency ratio increases during periods of expected subsurface melt. Similar trends are observed in brightness temperature measurements from in situ data collected by other investigators.

There are numerous applications for airborne imaging systems in remote sensing, and this thesis deals with a new microwave polarimetric radiometer technique for inferring ocean surface wind direction [3, 5, 7]. This technique is based upon the anisotropy of the polarized ocean blackbody emissions at microwave frequencies relative to the azimuth angle between the microwave radiometer antenna "look" direction and the direction of the wind. Because of the weak wind direction signature, it is important that all systematic brightness temperature (Tb) errors be eliminated, especially those that vary with the radiometer antenna scan position (look direction). This can be accomplished either in hardware implementation or through data processing corrections. Unfortunately, the misalignment of the axis of rotation for a conical-scanning imager can introduce such azimuthally dependent errors of significant magnitude. As the title suggests, the analysis of the resulting Tb errors caused by static and dynamic time-varying aircraft attitude errors is the main thrust of this thesis. In this thesis, we present analytical models developed to account for platform attitude changes on measured ocean microwave brightness temperature collected by a conically scanning radiometer. Data processing procedures for removing unwanted variations in ocean brightness temperatures are outlined. The analytical models are validated by making comparisons between modelled and measured Tb's obtained by the Conically Scanning Two-Look Airborne Radiometer (C-STAR). Results demonstrated that the analytical Tb model can accurately predict the measured polarized Tb's under actual flight conditions.

No description available.

The IRMA III infrared radiometer is a passive atmospheric water vapor detector designed for use with interferometric submillimeter arrays as a method of phase correction. The IRMA III instrument employs a distributed, multi-tasking software control system permitting precise fine-grained control at remote locations over a low-bandwidth network connection. IRMA's software is divided among three processors tasked with performing three primary functions: command interpretation, data collection and motor control of IRMA's Alt-Az mount. IRMA's hardware control and communication functionality is based on compact, low cost, energy efficient Rabbit 2000 microcontroller modules, selected to meet IRMA's limited space and power requirements. IRMA accepts scripts defined in a custom, high level control language as its method of control, which the operator can write or dynamically generated by a separate GUI front-end program. / xi, 193 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

Our group has developed a 20 μm passive atmospheric water vapour monitor. The Infrared Radiometer for Millimetre Astronomy (IRMA) has been commissioned and deployed for site testing for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) and the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). Measuring precipitable water vapour (PWV) requires both a sophisticated atmospheric model (BTRAM) and an instrument (IRMA). Atmospheric models depend on atmospheric profiles. Most profiles are generic in nature, representing only a latitude in some cases. Site-specific atmospheric profiles are required to accurately simulate the atmosphere above any location on Earth. These profiles can be created from publicly available archives of radiosonde data, that offer nearly global coverage. Having created a site-specific profile and model, it is necessary to determine the PWV sensitivity to the input parameter uncertainties used in the model. The instrument must also be properly calibrated. In this thesis, I describe the radiometric calibration of the IRMA instrument, and the creation and analysis of site-specific atmospheric models for use with the IRMA instrument in its capacity as an atmospheric water vapour monitor for site testing. / xii, 135 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. --

The Infrared Radiometer for Millimetre Astronomy (IRMA) is a passive atmospheric water vapour monitor developed at the University of Lethbridge. It is a compact, robust, and autonomous instrument, which is capable of being operated remotely. The latest model is based on a PC/104 running an AMD 133 MHz SC520 processor, which allows for more flexible control of the unit. The modifications and upgrades to the software required for the transition to this new platform are discussed in this thesis. In addition to software optimisation, a new calibration method has been developed as the unit has become better understood. This method has been verified through test campaigns carried out in Lethbridge and Chile. The results of these tests are included in this thesis. / xii, 141 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm. --