Ku-band Microwave Research Articles

CSA-doped PANI-CNT nano composites for Ku band microwave shielding applications

The major concern in high-frequency communication is electromagnetic interference. To address this, there are several material composites developed. This article focuses on a cost-effective development method for synthesizing CSA-doped PANI-CNT nanocomposites for microwave shielding applications. The nanocomposite is prepared using chemical polymerization. The chemical structure, surface characteristics and atomic structure of the material are characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TEM, respectively. The EMI shielding characteristics of the synthesized material are investigated as a function of weight percentage of CNT in PANI. The efficacy of the developed material is studied using the waveguide method. The analysis reveals good improvement in the shielding at the X and Ku-band frequencies.

Polar Sea Ice Monitoring Using HY-2B Satellite Scatterometer and Scanning Microwave Radiometer Measurements

The Ku band microwave scatterometer (SCA) and scanning microwave radiometer (SMR) onboard HaiYang-2B (HY-2B) can simultaneously supply active and passive microwave observations over the polar region. In this paper, a polar ice water discrimination model and Arctic sea-ice-type classification model based on the support vector machine (SVM) method were established and used to produce a daily sea ice extent dataset from 2019 to 2021 with data from SCA and SMR. First, suitable scattering and radiation parameters are chosen as input data for the discriminant model. Then, the sea ice extent was obtained based on the monthly ice water discrimination model, and finally, the ice over the Arctic was classified into multiyear ice (MYI) and first-year ice (FYI). The 3-year ice extent and MYI extent products were consistent with the similar results of the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSISAF). Using the OSISAF similar product as validation data, the overall accuracies (OAs) of ice/water discrimination and FYI/MYI discrimination are 99% and 97%, respectively. Compared with the high spatial resolution classification results of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and SAR, the OAs of ice/water discrimination and FYI/MYI discrimination are 96% and 86%, respectively. In conclusion, the SAC and SMR of HY-2B have been verified for monitoring polar sea ice, and the sea ice extent and sea-ice-type products are promising for integration into long-term sea ice records.

Feasibility of using Ku-band helicopter-borne microwave radar for stem volume and biomass estimation in boreal forest

Under the global climate challenges, accurate assessment of forest variables is becoming increasingly important for effective forest management and monitoring. While long-wavelength satellite radar data (P-, L-band) has been widely used for this purpose, the potential of airborne Ku-band microwave radar remains underexplored. In this paper, an airborne Ku-band frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) profiling radar data was used to predict forest variables including plot-level basal-area weighted mean canopy height (Hg), mean diameter at breast height (DBHg), stem volume (V) and above ground biomass (AGB) using the random forest method. In addition, the maximum canopy heights were computed from the radar-derived results. The estimated results were compared with 55 manually-measured and accurately matched field plots consisting of thousands of trees. The comparison results show that the estimation accuracy is at a good level, with the relative Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE%) and the coefficient of determination (R2) of the four variables were Hg (10.04 %, 0.75), DBHg (17.25 %, 0.63), V (21.11 %, 0.67) and AGB (19.75 %, 0.63), respectively. The estimation of plot-level maximum heights resulted in a relative RMSE of 7.95 % and R2 of 0.89. Through comparing with previous similar studies, the accuracies of estimating the four variables from airborne Ku-band data are comparable to those of high-precision satellite microwave radar data. The study results indicate that the canopy gaps and adequate penetration of airborne Ku-band signals into the canopy enable the characterization of the canopy layer and the ground floor, allowing for accurate estimation of forest variables in boreal forests.

Ku-band microwave absorbing properties of submicron monodisperse carbon spheres fabricated by hydrothermal synthesis and carbonization

Carbon materials have been widely used as the absorber for the stealth of military flight equipment in recent years. This study focuses on preparing submicron monodisperse carbon spheres (SMCS) by hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent carbonization. The influence of carbonization temperature (900 ℃, 1000 ℃, 1100 ℃, and 1200 ℃) on the microstructure, phase, specific surface area, pore size distribution, electrical conductivity, complex permittivity, and microwave-absorbing properties of SMCS in the Ku-band (12.4–18.0 GHz) is investigated. The graphitization degree, electrical conductivity, and complex permittivity of SMCS carbonized at 1100 ℃ are all the highest. The C-1100 in paraffin/composites shows a strong dielectric resonance loss, thus improving microwave-absorbing properties. The effective absorption bandwidth (RL < −10 dB) of C-1100 is 4.9 GHz and the minimum reflection loss (RL min) is −18.71 dB at 14.64 GHz with a matching thickness of 1.3 mm.

Constructing and optimizing epoxy resin-based carbon Nanotube/Barium ferrite microwave absorbing coating system

High-performance microwave absorbing coatings are highly indispensable for protecting human health and enhancing military strength. A single- and double-layer wave-absorbing coating system that employs complex microwave absorbers composed of the helical carbon nanotubes/doped barium ferrite composite with epoxy resin as the matrix was developed. The concentration and thickness of the coating were optimized by the numerical simulation and the adaptive genetic algorithm. The developed helical carbon nanotubes/doped barium ferrite wave-absorbing composites have a porous reticular structure, with abundant microscopic cavities and an adequately conductive network. The coatings are characterized by a flat surface, good uniformity, and high density. The reflectivity measured by the arch method is similar to that obtained through the finite element simulation, where the absorption bands of all the developed coatings are distributed in the range of 10–18 GHz. The optimized wave-absorbing coating exhibits the most uniform scattering pattern, the largest radar cross section (RCS) reduction, the smallest input reflection coefficient, and the highest absorptivity. Thus, it exhibits the best comprehensive microwave-absorption performance with a minimum reflection loss of −17.22 dB at 16.66 GHz. In particular, the absorption bandwidth of the coating can reach 9.16 GHz, which is attributable to its multiple synergistic electromagnetic attenuation mechanisms and its excellent characteristics of interference-cancellation and impedance-matching characteristics. Generally, helical carbon nanotubes/doped barium ferrite wave-absorbing coatings are promising candidates for applications in Ku-band microwave absorption.

Robust Ku-Band GaN Low-Noise Amplifier MMIC

This paper employs the 0.2 μm ETRI GaN HEMT process on SiC to develop a Ku-band GaN low-noise amplifier monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) characterized by high-input power robustness for radar transceiver modules. A source degeneration inductor is employed to obtain the proposed amplifier’s stable operation and the compromised impedance trajectory of the maximum available gain and minimum noise figure. The analysis results show simultaneous gain and noise impedance matching, achieved using only a small number of passive elements. Furthermore, the proposed low-noise amplifier MMIC secures a linear gain of 21.3−22.6 dB, an input return loss of 19.6−21.4 dB, and a noise figure of 1.7−1.8 dB in the 15–16 GHz frequency range. It also exhibits an input 1 dB compression point of 0.4−1.5 dBm in the single-tone power test, and an input third-order intercept point of 5.8−10.1 dBm within the 15−16 GHz frequency range in the two-tone intermodulation distortion test.

Dumbbell shaped structure loaded modified circular ring resonator based perfect metamaterial absorber for S, X and Ku band microwave sensing applications

In this paper, a new metamaterial absorber (MMA) is presented that exhibits peak absorptions at 3.26 GHz, 11.6 GHz, and 17.13 GHz within S, X, and Ku bands. The unit cell of the proposed MMA is constructed on an FR4 substrate having an electrical dimension of 0.144λ × 0.144λ, where wavelength, λ is calculated at the lowest absorption frequency. The unique structural design of the unit cell consists of two concentric copper rings with which dumbbell-shaped structures are attached. The rotating symmetrical structural design of this MMA provides around 93.8%, 96.47%, and 99.95% peak absorptance in the mentioned frequencies, which is invariable with the change of incident angle as well as polarization angle. The metamaterial properties of the proposed absorber are studied along with the surface current analysis. The MMA shows single negative behaviour and it also exhibits high-quality factors (Q factor) of 21.73, 41.42, and 51.90 at maximum absorptance frequencies. The MMA is analysed by it's equivalent circuit to understand the resonance phenomenon, which is verified through simulation in Advanced Design Systems (ADS) software. The testing is done on the developed prototype of the proposed MMA. Measurement results are in close proximity to the simulation results. Due to its high Q factor, high EMR, and insensitivity to polarization and angle of incidence, it can be utilized as a part of miniaturized microwave device. In addition, the proposed MMA can exhibit high sensing performance and flexibility to differentiate different oils in S, X, and Ku bands.

Physical temperature sensing of targets with shelters under indoor scenes by a revised Ku band microwave radiometer

This work is aimed to solve technical difficulties for microwave radiometers in Ku band and above under indoor scenes to detect physical temperatures of targets with shelters. Firstly, a revised microwave radiometer in Ku-band is developed with a novel calibration scheme. Secondly, in order to the designed radiometer pocess a high temperature accuracy for targets with shelters, crucial technical difficulties are investigated: 1) The long-neglected impact on temperature sensitivity of the single channel radiometer by the frequency stability of LO is analyzed and a LO with high frequency stability and small volume is designed. 2) The calibration accuracy deterioration caused by the receiver's nonideality is analyzed, and a novel calibration algorithm is proposed. 3) the method of plane wave spectrum (PWS) is proposed to derive the planar electric field in near field of the horn antenna for temperature inversion. 4) A more complete microwave thermal radiation transmission model of clothed human body is proposed. Thirdly, several experiments are set up and show that the designed radiometer can track physical temperatures of targets sheltered by cotton cloth relatively accurately, so that methods proposed for indoor near field applications are confirmed effective. Noteworthily, it is the first time in the microwave passive sensing domain that our work systematically proposes the temperature inversion theory for physical temperatures of targets with shelters accurately in noncontact under indoor scenes, and the design scheme for the microwave radiometer optimized portable along with a high temperature sensitivity applied for microwave security and medical monitoring.

Enhanced X and Ku band microwave absorption powered by a magnetic–dielectric synergistic effect in Pr-doped M/W composite hexaferrites

Pr-doped M/W composite hexaferrites exhibit satisfactory microwave absorption performance due to high magnetic loss and dielectric loss caused by strong resonance interaction and multiple polarization mechanisms.

Electrostatically self-assembled Fe3O4@SiO2/MXene 3D interlayered structure improves Ku-band microwave absorption efficiency of epoxy-based nanocomposites

It is challenging to develop lightweight and efficient frequency-selective microwave absorption materials due to the trade-off between impedance matching and microwave attenuation ability. This study proposes a multiple heterointerfaces engineering strategy via electrostatically assembling to construct Fe3O4@SiO2/MXene 3D interlayer structure, which fully exerted the synergistic effect of dielectric-magnetic components. The 3D interlayer heterostructure achieves good impedance matching due to electromagnetic coupling and extended microwave propagation path. Simultaneously, massive charge transfer and redistribution at multiple heterointerfaces embedded in this structure boost the polarization relaxation and dielectric loss ability. Consequently, the prepared nanocomposites exhibit remarkable Ku-band microwave absorption efficiency (−60.9 dB at a thickness of 1.0 mm), and have demonstrated valid practicality via Tesla wireless transmission shielding experiments. This study opens exciting possibilities for progress in the structural design, facile preparation and practical application of high-performance Ku-band microwave absorption materials.

An efficient and low-profile metasurface-based polarization converter with linear and circular polarization efficiencies for X- and Ku-Band applications

In this study, a metasurface-based linear and circular polarization converter operating on the reflection mode is proposed for X- and Ku-band microwave applications. The proposed converter offers an optimum performance with a polarization conversion ratio (PCR) and polarization matching ratio (PMR) greater than 93 in the bandwidth for a linearly polarized in the y-direction and right-handed circular polarized (RHCP) incident waves. Besides, the design performs over 80 PCR performance up to under oblique incidence. Moreover, the proposed converter is capable of left-handed circular polarization conversion between 7.42 and 7.68 GHz for a y-polarized incident wave. The design offers a relative bandwidth (RBW) of 71.36. The converter design is constructed with metal termination, an easily accessible FR-4 substrate and a simple design metasurface. Surface currents of the polarization converter at resonance frequencies of 8.77, 12.88 and were examined to understand its working mechanism. In addition, when the proposed design is rearranged with the appropriate geometry, the monostatic RCS reduction value in the 8.0–17.7 range is observed to be higher than 10 dB. CST program (a commercial 3D electromagnetic simulator) was used in simulations. The simulated device was fabricated with a traditional board fabrication technique. Simulation results were verified with free space measurements calibrated by the thru-reflect-line calibration procedure. The performance and efficiency of the proposed polarization converter were compared with other converters in the literature.

Incorporating Loss Factor Modular Design for Full Ku-Band Microwave Attenuation in Double-Layered Graphene Aerogels.

The fabrication of absorption-dominant electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials is a pressing priority to prevent secondary electromagnetic pollution in miniaturized electronic devices and communication systems. Meeting this goal has remained a tough challenge to keep pace with the rapid evolution of electronics due to the complex compositional and structural design and narrow operating bands. This work articulates a sound and simple strategy to precisely modulate the electrical conductivity of reduced graphene oxide (rGO), as the building block in lightweight double-layered rGO-film/rGO-aerogel/polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) composites, for efficient microwave absorption over the entire Ku-band frequency range. These constructs reasonably comprised a porous absorption structure built from parallel rGO sheets aligned and prepared via freeze casting followed by freeze drying. The electrical conductivity and impedance of this layer were tuned by varying the annealing temperature from 400 to 800 °C, thereby adjusting the degree of reduction and the absorption characteristic. This layer was backed by a highly conductive rGO film reduced at a high temperature of 1000 °C, with a reflectivity of 97.5%. The incorporation of this film ensured high EMI shielding effectiveness of the double-layered structure through the absorption-reflection-reabsorption mechanism, consistent with the predicted values based on calculated loss factors and the input impedance of the structure. Accordingly, at an average EMI shielding effectiveness of 57.59 dB, the reflection shielding effectiveness (SER) and reflectivity (R) of the assembled composites were optimized to be as low as 0.22 dB and 0.049, respectively. This equates to approximately 99.999% shielding (SET) and ∼95% absorptivity (A) of the incident wave. This study opens new avenues for the development of lightweight (with a density as low as 15 mg/cm3) absorption-dominant EMI shielding composite materials with promising EMI shielding efficiency and potential applications in modern electronics.

Charge Dynamics Engineering Sparks Hetero-Interfacial Polarization for an Ultra-Efficient Microwave Absorber with Mechanical Robustness.

Microwave absorbers with high efficiency and mechanical robustness are urgently desired to cope with more complex and harsh application scenarios. However, manipulating the trade-off between microwave absorption performance and mechanical properties is seldom realized in microwave absorbers. Here, a chemistry-tailored charge dynamic engineering strategy is proposed for sparking hetero-interfacial polarization and thus coordinating microwave attenuation ability with the interfacial bonding, endowing polymer-based composites with microwave absorption efficiency and mechanical toughness. The absorber designed by this new conceptual approach exhibits remarkable Ku-band microwave absorption efficiency (-55.3dB at a thickness of 1.5mm) and satisfactory effective absorption bandwidth (5.0GHz) as well as desirable interfacial shear strength (97.5MPa). The calculated differential charge density depicts the uneven distribution of space charge and the intense hetero-interfacial polarization, clarifying the structure-performance relationship from a theoretical perspective. This work breaks through traditional single performance-oriented design methods and ushers a new direction for next-generation microwave absorbers.

Active Balun Design for Next-Generation Telecom Satellite Frequency Converters

In this work, we describe the complete design flow of a 1.3–3.3-GHz active balun, exploited to generate a high-voltage swing differential local oscillator (LO) signal driving a highly linear doubly balanced resistive ring mixer. Both the LO active balun and the mixer are integrated into a Ku-band single chip monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) downconverter for the state-of-the-art telecom satellites. System performance has been maximized designing the different circuits by a holistic approach, which considers a non 50- <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Omega $ </tex-math></inline-formula> environment. The experimental validation is carried out by means of an ad hoc time-domain load–pull test bench and shows that the LO active balun provides two quasi-sinusoidal, 180° out-phased, signals with 2.4-V peak-to-peak voltage to the input ports of the mixer over a very high-impedance loading condition.

Lumped-Element Circuit Modeling for Composite Scaffold with Nano-Hydroxyapatite and Wangi Rice Starch

Mechanistic studies of the interaction of electromagnetic (EM) fields with biomaterials has motivated a growing need for accurate models to describe the EM behavior of biomaterials exposed to these fields. In this paper, biodegradable bone scaffolds were fabricated using Wangi rice starch and nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA). The effects of porosity and composition on the fabricated scaffold were discussed via electrical impedance spectroscopy analysis. The fabricated scaffold was subjected to an electromagnetic field within the X-band and Ku-band (microwave spectrum) during impedance/dielectric measurement. The impedance spectra were analyzed with lumped-element models. The impedance spectra of the scaffold can be embodied in equivalent circuit models composed of passive components of the circuit, i.e., resistors, inductors and capacitors. It represents the morphological, structural and chemical characteristics of the bone scaffold. The developed models describe the impedance characteristics of plant tissue. In this study, it was found that the ε' and ε″ of scaffold composites exhibited up and down trends over frequencies for both X-band and Ku-band. The circuit models presented the lowest mean percentage errors of Z' and Z″, i.e., 3.60% and 13.80%, respectively.

Role of Zinc Oxide and Nickel Nanoparticles on EMI Shielding Behavior of Chopped Carbon Fibre/Electrospun Fibrous Cobalt Epoxy Composites in X and Ku Band Microwave Frequencies

Role of Zinc Oxide and Nickel Nanoparticles on EMI Shielding Behavior of Chopped Carbon Fibre/Electrospun Fibrous Cobalt Epoxy Composites in X and Ku Band Microwave Frequencies

Ground-based Ku-band microwave observations of ozone in the polar middle atmosphere

Abstract. Ground-based observations of 11.072 GHz atmospheric ozone (O3) emission have been made using the Ny-Ålesund Ozone in the Mesosphere Instrument (NAOMI) at the UK Arctic Research Station (latitude 78∘55′0′′ N, longitude 11∘55′59′′ E), Spitsbergen. Seasonally averaged O3 vertical profiles in the Arctic polar mesosphere–lower thermosphere region for night-time and twilight conditions in the period 15 August 2017 to 15 March 2020 have been retrieved over the altitude range 62–98 km. NAOMI measurements are compared with corresponding, overlapping observations by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) satellite instrument. The NAOMI and SABER version 2.0 data are binned according to the SABER instrument 60 d yaw cycles into nominal 3-month “winter” (15 December–15 March), “autumn” (15 August–15 November), and “summer” (15 April–15 July) periods. The NAOMI observations show the same year-to-year and seasonal variabilities as the SABER 9.6 µm O3 data. The winter night-time (solar zenith angle, SZA ≥ 110∘) and twilight (75∘ ≤ SZA ≤ 110∘) NAOMI and SABER 9.6 µm O3 volume mixing ratio (VMR) profiles agree to within the measurement uncertainties. However, for autumn twilight conditions the SABER 9.6 µm O3 secondary maximum VMR values are higher than NAOMI over altitudes 88–97 km by 47 % and 59 %, respectively in 2017 and 2018. Comparing the two SABER channels which measure O3 at different wavelengths and use different processing schemes, the 9.6 µm O3 autumn twilight VMR data for the three years 2017–2019 are higher than the corresponding 1.27 µm measurements with the largest difference (58 %) in the 65–95 km altitude range similar to the NAOMI observation. The SABER 9.6 µm O3 summer daytime (SZA &lt; 75∘) mesospheric O3 VMR is also consistently higher than the 1.27 µm measurement, confirming previously reported differences between the SABER 9.6 µm channel and measurements of mesospheric O3 by other satellite instruments.

Study of Vibration Effects on Communication Filters in Substrate Integrated Technologies

The growing need of space communication systems forces the industry to innovate in order to provide more robust, economical and flexible solutions. The new substrate integrated technologies enable the development of on-board communications devices with less weight and volume than the traditional waveguide-based ones. However, it is necessary to analyse the performance of these devices in the particular working conditions of satellite communications. This work studies the integrity of the electrical response of advanced communication filters under mechanical stress conditions. Four realisations of a Ku-band microwave filter in different substrate integrated technologies were developed and tested. Two mechanical vibration tests were performed: sinusoidal sweep and random vibration. These tests emulate the transport and launching conditions of the satellite payload. Furthermore, the mechanical natural frequency of the filters and its variation after being exposed to the tests have been measured to evaluate the devices integrity. For all the filters, this frequency variation is lower than 5 &#x0025;, the standard threshold. This proves that the developed filters can survive the launching conditions of satellite payload, thus qualifying the technology for spatial applications.

Photonic microwave synthesizer based on optically referenced sub-sampling phase-locked optoelectronic oscillator

Wideband and low phase noise microwave synthesizers are of critical significance for various applications. Phase-locked loop (PLL) based microwave synthesizers are widely used. Normally, the phase noise of the PLL based microwave synthesizer is limited by the phase noise of the reference, phase detector, frequency divider and voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). It is challenging to achieve a pure electronic microwave synthesizer with wide frequency coverage and low phase noise, simultaneously. Here, we propose a photonic microwave synthesizer which incorporates an ultra-low phase noise fiber mode-locked laser (MLL) based reference and a wideband frequency tunable optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) based VCO in a hybrid optoelectronic sub-sampling PLL. The frequency of the OEO can be locked to the harmonics of the repetition-rate of the fiber MLL, which combines the distinct advantages of the low phase noise of MLL and the wideband frequency tuning of OEO. A sub-sampling phase detector formed by a balanced optical microwave phase detector (BOMPD) eliminates the use of RF frequency divider and maintains low residual phase noise. We attain an X- and Ku-band photonic microwave synthesizer with over an octave frequency coverage from 8 GHz to 18 GHz, frequency synthesis step of 60.74 MHz and phase noise of -80 dBc/Hz at 100 Hz offset and -100 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset for 10 GHz output. The characteristics of the optoelectronic sub-sampling phase detector, the phase-locking dynamics of the hybrid optoelectronic PLL, and the phase noise of the synthesized RF signals are both theoretically and experimentally investigated. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical models. Our approach is promising to achieve wideband and low phase noise microwave synthesis.

Investigation of Ku band microwave absorption of three-layer BaFe12O19, carbon-fiber@Fe3O4, and graphene@BaFe12O19@Fe3O4 composite

This paper reported the microwave absorption properties of BaFe12O19, carbon-fiber@Fe3O4 composite, and graphene@BaFe12O19@Fe3O4 composite. The prepared samples showed no impurity or any secondary phase during the XRD analysis. The morphology of the samples has indicated the successful arrangement of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the carbon fiber, which created pores thereby enhancing the absorption of microwaves. Similarly, the BaFe12O19 and Fe3O4 were also efficiently decorated on the surface of the graphene sheets. The presence of non-magnetic carbon fiber and graphene causes a significant reduction in coercivity while maintaining reasonable saturation and remnant magnetization, thereby improving the microwave absorption capability of the prepared composites. The B/C/A combination with 5 wt% filler loading offers better microwave absorption capabilities in all thickness variations with RLmax having value greater than −10 dB. Additionally, an increase in filler loading to 15 wt% for the B/C/A combination resulted in an increase in RLmax to −40 dB. The studies have demonstrated the synergic effect of the various components of the composites for efficient tuning of microwave absorption capabilities and the possibility of using the B/C/A combination for technological application.