Advanced antennas and circuits
The electromagnetic interface is a key-aspect of modern wireless systems. It encompasses all that connects the digital domain to the received and transmitted EM-waves. Research of the Advanced Antennas and Circuits Group is focused on three main areas: „communication“, „identification“, and „sensing“, and covers everything from antennas, circuit/system design, to related signal processing. Emphasis is put on the integration of modules to their surroundings, on adaptive and reconfigurable solutions, and their implementation by advanced and nonconventional technologies. The two research teams from TU Wien and BUT perfectly complement each other in those topics: Whether the goal is a novel antenna or a complete RF system design, the teams have the required know-how up to frequencies in the millimeter wave range.
Who are we?
Holger Arthaber – TUW supervisor
Holger Arthaber (TUW) studied telecommunications at Vienna University of Technology and received his Dipl.-Ing. and Dr. techn. degree in 2000 and 2004, resp. Since 2009 he is Assistant Professor and head of the Microwave Engineering Group at TU Vienna. In his research he combines microwave engineering with digital signal processing.
Zbyněk Raida – SIX supervisor
Zbynek Raida is professor at the Dept. of Radio Electronics, FEEC BUT. He received Ing. (MSc) and Dr. (PhD) degrees from BUT in 1991 and 1994, respectively. In 1997, he spent six months as a researcher at the Laboratoire de Hyperfrequences, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Belgium. His current research is focused on numerical modeling and optimization of electromagnetic structures and design of special antennas. He is the head of the Antenna Research Group at BUT.
- UHF RFID ranging concepts which can be used with unmodified EPC Gen2 tags
Investigations were based on a patent of TU Vienna. The concepts constituted of RF system design/simulations, signal processing, a real-time FPGA-based demonstrator, and the development of custom silicon for a UHF tag with enhanced ranging capabilities. The project was carried out with several industrial partners including a major UHF tag manufacturer. - Switched mode RF power amplifiers with high efficiency
The research included novel design methodology for digitally driven amplifiers, PWM noise shaping, signal processing for 1-bit systems, nonlinear characterization and linearization of systems with quantized input signals. - Novel technologies for microwave links, 2011-13, TESLA Holding, Czech Republic
In the project, attention was turned to the research of wireless communication modules operating in frequency bands 38 GHz, and 75 GHz / 85 GHz. Research resulted in the methodology of the design of appropriate antennas and high-frequency circuits.
- Implementation of an ultra-linear L-band OFDM transmitter for airborne applications with high peak power (250 W)
The work was performed with Frequentis AG (Austria), a major player in air traffic safety, within the scope of the European SESAR joint undertaking. It covered the entire RF/mixed-signal/FPGA co-design, the development of the digital-predistortion based linearization concept, and the implementation of a final prototype. - Contactless measurement system for the grain angle in timber
This X-band based system utilizes the anisotropic properties of timber and was developed in close cooperation with the leading wood scanning system provider Microtec GmbH Srl (Italy). It included the entire RF/mixed-signal/FPGA co-design design, implementation, and characterization of the high speed measurement-system with multiple antennas. Furthermore, the underlying theory necessary to calculate the dielectric tensor in wood, based on transmission measurements in multiple directions, were studied. - High-power transmit antennas for DVB-H and DVB-T
TESLA Holding succeeded in a tender for the construction of DVB-H and DVB-T networks in Poland. For this network, modular antennas designed for analog broadcasting had to be redesigned to meet requirements of digital standards. The BUT team created numerical models of high-power transmit antennas and optimized the design from the viewpoint of electrical parameters, mechanical properties, reliability and robustness. Optimized numerical models were used for tolerance and sensitivity analyses resulting to a manufacturing documentation. Designed antennas were introduced to series production and were installed in Poland.
- H. Arthaber, T. Faseth, F. Galler, „Spread-Spectrum Based Ranging of Passive UHF EPC RFID Tags,“ IEEE Communications Letters, vol. PP (99), 2015. DOI: 10.1109/LCOMM.2015.2469664.
- B. Pichler, N. Leder, T. Faseth, H. Arthaber, G. Magerl, “Efficiency enhanced switched mode power amplifier for digital RF transmitters,” in IEEE 16th Annual Wireless and Microwave Technology Conference (WAMICON), 2015, pp. 1–3.
- J. Puskely, M. Pokorný, J. Láčík, Z. Raida, „Wearable disc-like antenna for body centric communications at 61 GHz“, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, vol. 14, 2015, pp. 1490-1493. ISSN: 1536-1225. DOI: 10.1109/LAWP.2014.2367812
- Arthaber, H. et al. (TUW, sold to Microtec GmbH Srl), “Method and apparatus for estimating the projection on a reference plane of the direction of extension of the fibers of a portion of a wooden plank“, Italian patent application BZ2013A00003, filed 25. 7. 2013, European patent application 14178236.7, filed 23. 7. 2014; Contactless determination of the grain angle in wooden planks by polarized microwave measurements.
- Arthaber, H. et al. (TUW, sold to EVVA Sicherheitstechnologie GmbH), “Apparatus for access/admission control utilizing a capacitive data-transmission-module“, original title: “Zutrittskontrollvorrichtung mit kapazitiven Datenübertragungsmodul, das einen RFID-Mikrochip oder einen Rundfunkempfangs-Mikrochip umfasst“, European patent application EP2608159 A1, filed 20. 12. 2012; Body area communication concept for keyless entry systems.
- Arthaber, H. et al. (TUW, sold to EVVA Sicherheitstechnologie GmbH), “Methodology for access/admission control“, original title: “Verfahren zur Zutrittskontrolle“, Austrian and European patent application AT512075 A1, filed 18. 10. 2011, EP12450043.0-2211, filed 18. 10. 2012; Use of capacitive coupling for keyless entry systems.
- Arthaber, H. (TUW), “Methodology and apparatus for localizing Objects“, original title: “Verfahren und System zur Ortung von Objekten“, granted: AT511750 B1, pending: EP2739989 A1, WO2013017596 A1, c A1, filed 4. 8. 2011: A spread-spectrum based ranging method for off-the-shelf UHF RFID tags.
- Arthaber, H. (TUW, sold to Kapsch TrafficCom AG), “Method and Apparatus for Measuring Signal Phase Shifts“, Austrian, European, US, Spanish, and Portuguese Patent granted: AT497607 T, pending: EP2261686 A1, EP2261686 B1, US2010303139 A1, PT2261686 E, ES2360277 T3, filed 29. 5. 2009; A low complexity method for estimating the phase difference between two broadband modulated signals.
- Raida, Z.; Čáp, A.; Polívka, M. (BUT / Czech UT in Prague), “Multi-band patch antenna.”, Patent no 299752, Prague, 2008; An original methodology of creating multiband planar antennas by etching notches into the antenna element was patented.
- Harmonic load-pull setup Maury ATS
Performing load-pull-measurements is often key to deal with nonlinear effects in active devices. The state-of-the-art 18 GHz high power Maury system is extended with in-house developed active loads. - Network analyzers Keysight PNA-X and R&S ZVA
Linear and non-linear analysis up to 70 GHz and 110 GHz, resp., for the measurement of circuits, systems, and antennas. Pulse modulation capabilities and fast CW-measurements up to 70 GHz enable analysis of time-variant effects. - Spherical antenna measurement systems NSI 700S-30 and NSI 700S-90E
The scanners, both installed in an anechoic chambers, are able to measure radiation properties of antennas and systems. In total, the frequency range is from 800 MHz up to 50 GHz in the near-field range, and up to 110 GHz in the far-field range.
- Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Spain)
The cooperation is focused on the development of methodology for the design of filtering antennas (filtennas) composed from a patch array, substrate integrated resonators, and substrate integrated feeders. - Holon Institute of Technology (Israel)
At present, we prepare a research project focused on the development of intelligent textile materials to be used as a wireless feed and wireless communicator with sensors of vital functions. Partner companies in the project plan to use the intelligent textile as a cover of mattresses in hospital beds.
- Frequentis AG, Austria
Research on transceivers and algorithms for the upcoming LDACS-1 communication standard within the European SESAR joint initiative. Currently, joint analog/digital demodulator concepts for high interference scenarios are investigated. - AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG, Austria
Development of methods for the characterization of high speed printed circuit boards. A strong focus is put onto studying the material’s and production process’ influence onto losses up to 110 GHz. - Volkswagen AG, Germany
The former cooperation was focused on the development antenna concepts for Car2Car communication and antennas for positioning, data fusion algorithms. Now, we cooperate in the development of the methodology for an in-car electromagnetic field modeling.
- International Workshop on Integrated Nonlinear Microwave and Millimetre-wave Circuits (INMMiC) 2011
Conference was organized and hosted by TUW with technical sponsorship by IEEE, publications IEEE Xplore listed, including a small exhibition of industrial companies. - TARGET (Top Amplifier Research Groups in a European Team), 2004–2007
This EC-funded Network of Excellence was to overcome the fragmentation of European research in the field of microwave power amplifiers for broadband wireless access by creating a progressive and durable integration of research capacities of the 49 academic and industrial network partners. Beside extensive research activities several workshops were organized and R&D-services were offered to the industry.