Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The telecommunications sector has been one of the fastest growing sectors in the past decade. This trend has been fueled by an unprecedented growth in the number of new applications in wireless communications and the expansion of existing ones. With rapid growth, managing the capacity and quality of the wireless air interface becomes a challenge. Ultra-wideband (UWB) radio is emerging as an innovative solution for the increase demand for short-range low cost reduced-power wireless devices with video transfer capability within home and office environments. The primary objective of the proposed research program is to address the above requirements and playing a leading role in the development of innovative solutions with focus on two innovations. First, to study, design and implement novel UWB low profile antennas that satisfy UWB technology requirement. Research in this area will focus on theoretical and experimental studies to overcome many challenges for discovering new design rules, new innovative antennas, and new application areas. To meet wireless industry requirements for small size antennas in handheld devices, our efforts also include miniaturization process that compromises between the size and performance of the antenna. Second, we investigate the basis for the design of new Electromagnetic Band Pass (EBP) dielectric waveguide-based antennas and microwave devices. EBP periodic structures allow energy to propagate with certain properties to form low cost, high performance and fully integrated circuits, antennas, and systems for emerging wireless telecommunications and microwave imaging applications. We will investigate EBP pass band characteristics as opposed to their stop band or band gap characteristics and develop EBP-based novel devices for a broad range of emerging applications. Trainees involved in this program will gain advanced knowledge area expertise and technical competency in wireless systems related areas. The developed technologies integrated with intelligent networks have the potential to offer businesses and consumers greater control over communications environment resulting in increasing productivity and improving the efficiency and quality of services.