Microwave Field and Circuit Techniques

1

Field Analysis and Guided Waves: Novel guiding structures, new physical phenomena in transmission lines and other wave guiding structures and new analytical methods for solving guided-wave problems.

2

Frequency-Domain EM Analysis Techniques: Frequency-Domain methods for numerical solution of electromagnetic problems, including field interactions with devices, Circuits and with other physical processes.

3

Time-Domain EM Analysis Techniques: Time-Domain methods for numerical modeling of high frequency electronics, including modeling based on physical behaviors (electromagnetic, semiconductor, thermal, mechanical).

4

CAD Algorithms and Techniques: Circuit analysis methods, optimization methods, statistical analysis.

5

Linear Device Modeling: Linear models of active and passive devices, models.

6

Nonlinear Device Modeling: Large-signal device models, characterization, parameter extraction, validation.

7

Nonlinear Circuit and System Simulation: Harmonic balance, simulation techniques, distortion and spurious analysis, system simulations and behavioral modeling.

Passive Components

8

Transmission Line Elements: Planar, non-planar and micro machined transmission lines and waveguides, including periodic and metamaterial-type structures, discontinuities, junctions and transitions.

9

Passive Circuit Elements: Couplers, dividers/combiners, hybrids, resonators, lumped element approaches to circuit design.

10

Planar Passive Filters and Multiplexers: Innovative synthesis and analysis of planar filters and multiplexers, including planar superconducting structures.

11

Non-planar Passive Filters and Multiplexers: Waveguide, dielectric resonator and non-planar super conducting structures.

12

Active, Tunable, and Integrated Filters: Integrated filters (on Si, LTCC, LCP, MCM-D, GaAs,...) active, tunable and reconfigurable filters. Filters based on metamaterials, DGS, EBG and other structures.

13

Ferroelectric, Ferrite, and Acoustic Wave Components: Ferroelectric devices, bulk and thin film ferrite components, surface and bulk acoustic wave devices including FBAR devices.

14

MEMS Components and Technologies: RF micro electromechanical and micro machined components and subsystems: switches, resonators, tunable passive filters, phase shifters, reconfigurable filters and antennas. Modeling, packaging, reliability, novel materials and assembly processes.

Active Components

15

Semiconductor Devices and Monolithic ICs: Multifunction and monolithic integrated components: RF, microwave and millimeter-wave MMICs on GaAs, SiGe ICs and other technologies. MMIC manufacturing, reliability, failure analysis, yield and cost.

16

Signal Generation: CW and pulsed oscillators, VCOs, DROs, YTOs, PLOs and frequency synthesizers. Applications of new devices and resonators, noise in oscillators, DDS techniques.

17

Frequency Conversion and Control: Electronic switches, phase shifters, limiters, mixers, frequency multipliers and frequency dividers.

18

HF/VHF/UHF Technologies and Applications: Technology for HF, VHF and UHF including passive and active components, lumped and distributed elements, transmitters and receivers.

19

Power Amplifier Devices and Circuits: Design and performance of discrete and IC power amplifiers for RF, microwave and millimeter-wave signals, wide bandgap devices.

20

High-Power Amplifiers: High-power amplifier design and characterization, linearization techniques, power combining techniques, vacuum electronics.

21

Low-Noise Components and Receivers: Low-noise amplifiers, detectors, devices, receivers, radiometers, models and characterization methods for low-noise circuits and components.

22

Millimeter-Wave and THz Components and Technologies: Millimeter-Wave components, technologies and applications above 30 GHz, sub-millimeter-wave/terahertz devices, instruments and applications including THz imaging.

Systems and Applications

23

Microwave Photonics: Microwave/optical interactions and device technology. Wireless over fiber, free-space optical technology, broadband cable applications of photonics, optical transmissions effects.

24

Signal Processing Circuits at GHz speeds: High-speed mixed-signal components, modules and subsystems: ADC, DAC and DDS; backplanes, signal integrity and equalization, electrical/optical interfaces and transmission; MIMO; SDR and coherent systems.

25

Packaging, Interconnects, MCMs and Integration: Dielectrics and substrates, component and subsystem packaging, assembly methods, hybrid integration, interconnects and multi-chip modules (MCMs), hybrid manufacturing, yield and cost.

26

Instrumentation and Measurement Techniques: Network, time-domain and spectral measurements, field mapping, error correction and estimation, materials measurements.

27

Biological Effects and Medical Applications: Biomedical applications of microwaves, applications in biology, microwave fields and interactions in tissues.

28

RF Arrays as Antennas and Power Combiners: Smart antennas for wireless applications, spatial power combining, phased arrays, retro-directive systems, T/R modules, multi-beam scanning, active integrated antennas.

29

Radar and Broadband Communication Systems: Broadband and MMW communications systems for terrestrial, vehicular, satellite and indoor applications. Radar systems and subsystems UWB systems and subsystems.

30

Wireless and Cellular Communication Systems: Wireless system and transceiver architectures for 3G/4G for cellular system, WLAN, UWB, WiMax and Cognitive Radio Systems.

31

Sensors and Sensor Systems: IVHS, wireless micro sensors, nondestructive testing, imaging and remote sensing.

32

RFID Technologies: HF/UHF/RF passive and active RFID tags and readers, printed RFID's, integration of RFID's with wireless sensors and modules, RFID testing.

33

High Power Microwave Industrial Application: Design of microwave industrial and laboratory applications, multiphysics modeling/optimization of microwave heating systems, physics of microwave processing of materials, NDE/NDT and dielectric property measurements, systems for microwave chemistry, plasma processing, microwave sintering, microwave-assisted comminution, microwave processing of wood and food.

Emerging Technical Areas

34

RF Nanotechnology: carbon-, semiconductor-, and other novel-material-based nanotechnology, nanodevices and nanomaterials, metamaterials, nano-interconnects and nano-packaging, nanoantennas, nanoscale electro-mechanical switches and resonators, spintronics, computational nanoelectronics, nanoscale metrology, imaging, and sensing.

35

New Technologies and Applications: Any new materials or RF component technologies and applications thereof not covered in the preceeding areas.

36

Innovative Systems: Any system application of microwave theory and techniques not covered in the preceding areas.