Branislav M. Notaros of Colorado State University

Abstract

RF, antennas, wireless, microwave, radar, microelectronics, and lightwave technologies are exploding! The importance of electromagnetic (EM) theory, computation, and design to these technologies can hardly be overstated. This talk presents several novel methodologies and computational technologies for RF and EM analysis and design including uncertainty quantification, error control, and adaptive refinement, which are essential for modern effective and reliable simulation-based design in mission-critical antennas, propagation, RF, microwave, and EM compatibility applications. Our novel approaches constituted by accelerated, rigorous, adaptive, goal-oriented error estimation and control, sensitivity and uncertainty quantification, and model refinement for RF and microwaves and engineering in general show unparalleled accuracy, efficiency, robustness, and versatility of analyses and simulations. 

The talk also presents several advanced engineering applications combining EM concepts, techniques, and technologies with emerging interdisciplinary topics, to solve general real-world problems with impacts on wireless communication, medical imaging and diagnostics, and remote sensing/radar meteorology. The applications include cyber-physical systems in smart underground mining; radio channel modeling in outdoor urban scenarios; design of RF coils/antennas for next-generation high-field, high-frequency magnetic resonance imaging scanners; direct EM coupling system for ultra-fast highly reliable and affordable orthopedic fracture-healing diagnostics with telemedicine framework; and optical and radar measurements, modeling, and characterization of snowflakes and snow. While these topics and applications are really “all over” science and engineering, the talk will focus on the strong interweaving common thread among all of them – electromagnetics.

Biography:

Branislav M. Notaroš is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Director of Electromagnetics Laboratory, and University Distinguished Teaching Scholar at Colorado State University. Previously, he held assistant/associate-professor positions at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and University of Belgrade. His research contributions are in computational and applied electromagnetics. His publications include about 330 journal and conference papers, and textbooks “Electromagnetics” (2010) and “MATLAB-Based Electromagnetics'' (2013) with Pearson Prentice Hall and “Conceptual Electromagnetics” (2017) with CRC Press. Prof. Notaroš serves as President of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S), Immediate Past President of the Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society (ACES), Immediate Past Chair of the USNC-URSI Commission B, and Track Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation. He served as General Chair of the IEEE APS/URSI 2022 Denver Conference, Chair of the IEEE AP-S Meetings Committee, Chair of the Joint Meetings Committee, and AP-S AdCom member. He was the recipient of the 1999 IEE Marconi Premium, 2005 IEEE MTT-S Microwave Prize, 2022 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Edward E. Altshuler Prize Paper Award, 2019 ACES Technical Achievement Award, 2014 Carnegie Foundation Colorado Professor of the Year Award, 2015 ASEE ECE Distinguished Educator Award, 2015 IEEE Undergraduate Teaching Award, and many other research and teaching awards. He is Fellow of IEEE and ACES.

Email:

Address:Colorado State University, ECE Department, , Fort Collins, United States, 80523

Cristiano Tomassoni of University of Perugia

Abstract

The Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology, also known as 3D-printing technology, offers several interesting and attractive features, including fast prototyping, geometry flexibility, easily customizable products, and low cost (in some cases). However, using such technologies for microwave devices is not straightforward as AM has not been specifically developed for microwave components, and in most cases, some adaptation and post-processing is necessary. Furthermore, there are many AM technologies available, and it is important to understand their characteristics before selecting one.

In the presentation, an overview of the different AM technologies available will be provided. Additionally, an analysis of some of the most common AM technologies used for the manufacturing of microwave components will be conducted in more detail, with the help of several examples. Several microwave components manufactured with some of the most popular AM technologies will be shown, along with a detailed description of the manufacturing process, post-processing, and all actions necessary to make the component perform well. Furthermore, it will be shown how the flexibility of this technology allows the development of new classes of components with non-conventional geometries that can be exploited to obtain high-performing components in terms of compactness, weight, losses, etc.

Biography:

Cristiano Tomassoni received his Ph.D. in Electronics Engineering from the University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy, in 1999. In the same year, he joined the Lehrstuhl für Hochfrequenztechnik, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany as a Visiting Scientist, where he worked on the modeling of waveguide structures and devices using the generalized scattering matrix technique. In 2001, he was a Guest Professor at the Fakultät für Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany. In the early stages of his career, he contributed to the enhancement of several analytical and numerical methods for electromagnetic component simulation, including the finite-element method, mode-matching technique, generalized multipole technique, method of moments, transmission-line matrix, and mode matching applied to spherical waves. In 2001, he joined the University of Perugia, where he is currently an Associate Professor and teaches the ‘Electromagnetic Fields’ course and the ‘Advanced Design of Microwave and RF Systems’ course. His main research interests include modeling and designing of waveguide components and antennas, miniaturized filters, reconfigurable filters, dielectric filters, and substrate integrated waveguide filters. He is currently studying the use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology for the fabrication of microwave components, considering various technologies such as Stereolithography (SLA), Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), and PolyJet technology.

Prof. Tomassoni is the Vice-Chair of the MTT-5 Filters Technical Committee of the IEEE-MTT society. He is currently a Distinguished Microwave Lecturer of IEEE-MTT society. He served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques from 2018 to 2022. Prof. Tomassoni is the recipient of the 2012 Microwave Prize presented by the IEEE Microwave Theory and Technique Society.

Email:

Address:Perugia, Italy

Yarú Méndez of Universidad Simón Bolívar

Abstract

The connection to ground of the negative or positive terminal of photovoltaic (PV) generators is a common practice to mitigate the effects of the potential induced degradation (PID), which is attributed to chemical reactions (ion’s exchange) between the materials that constitute the PV-module during operation. Furthermore, the complex topology of a utility scale PV-plant, its dimensions and the stored energy in the central PV-inverter’s DC-link suggest the hypothesis that overvoltage at the DC- and AC-side of the PV-plant may arise during transients caused by impulse currents. The objective of this lecture is to explore the effects of this practice on the operation of utility scale MW-class PV-plants during transients caused by lightning.

Biography:

Yarú Méndez is engaged as a principal engineer at the wind turbine blade manufacturer LM Wind Power in Denmark and as a lecturer in electrical engineering (EE) at the Universidad Simón Bolívar (USB) in Venezuela. The main focus of his professional and academic activity is power systems and renewable energy based power generation. Previously, he was Director of Engineering at the company Raycap GmbH in Germany and Research Engineer at the company General Electric Global Research (GEGR) in Germany. His primary responsibilities included renewable energy based systems (wind and solar) and their interaction to the grid with a main focus on electromagnetic transients. Concerning his education, he earned a degree in electrical engineering in power systems from the Universidad Simón Bolívar (USB), a Dr.-Ing. Degree from the University of Kassel (UNIK) in Germany, and an MBA degree from the University of Applied Sciences Munich (HM) in Germany. Currently, he holds 17 patents and has published 59 scientific publications as author and coauthor.

Email:

Address:Universidad Simón Bolívar, Depto: Conversión y Transporte de Energía, Venezuela

Levent Sevgi of Istanbul ATLAS University

Abstract

The role of Electromagnetic (EM) fields in our lives has been increasing. Communication, remote sensing, integrated command/ control/surveillance systems, intelligent transportation systems, medicine, environment, education, marketing, defense are only a few areas where EM fields have critical importance. We have witnessed the transformation from Engineering Electromagnetics to Electromagnetic Engineering for the last few decades after being surrounded by EM waves everywhere. Among many others, EM engineering deals with broad range of problems from antenna design to EM scattering, indoor–outdoor radiowave propagation to wireless communication, radar systems to integrated surveillance, subsurface imaging to novel materials, EM compatibility to nano-systems, electroacoustic devices to electro-optical systems, etc. The range of the devices we use in our daily life has extended from DC up to Terahertz frequencies. We have had both large-scale (kilometers-wide) and small-scale (nanometers) EM systems. A large portion of these systems are broadband and digital, and have to operate in close proximity that results in severe EM interference problems. Engineers have to take EM issues into account from the earliest possible design stages. This necessitates establishing an intelligent balance between strong mathematical background (theory), engineering experience (practice), and modeling and numerical computations (simulation).

This keynote lecture aims at a broad-brush look at certain teaching / training challenges that confront wave-oriented EM engineering in the 21st century, in a complex computer and technology-driven world with rapidly shifting societal and technical priorities.

The lecture also discusses modeling and simulation strategies pertaining to complex EM problems and supplies several user-friendly virtual tools, most of which have been presented in the IEEE AP Magazine and which are very effective in teaching and training in lectures such as EM Wave Theory, Antennas and Radiowave Propagation, EM Scattering and Diffraction, Guided Wave Theory, Microstrip Circuit Design, Radar Cross Section Prediction, Transmission Lines, Metamaterials, etc.

Biography:

Prof. Dr. Levent Sevgi is a Fellow of the IEEE (since 2009) and the recipient of IEEE APS Chen-To Tai Distinguished Educator Award (2021). He received his B. Eng., M. Eng., and PhD degrees in Electronic Engineering from Istanbul Technical University (ITU) in 1982, 1984 and 1990, respectively. In 1987, while working on his PhD, he was awarded a fellowship that allowed him to work with Prof. L. B. Felsen at Weber Research Institute / New York Polytechnic University York for two years. His work at the Polytechnic concerned the propagation phenomena in non-homogeneous open and closed waveguides.

He was with Istanbul Technical University (1991–1998), TUBITAK-MRC, Information Technologies Research Institute (1999–2000), Weber Research Institute / NY Polytechnic University (1988–1990), Scientific Research Group of Raytheon Systems Canada (1998 – 1999), Center for Defense Studies, ITUV-SAM (1993 –1998 and 2000–2002) and with University of Massachusetts, Lowell (UML) MA/USA as a full-time faculty (2012 – 2013), with DOGUS University (2001-2014) and with Istanbul OKAN University (2014 - 2021). He has been with Istanbul ATLAS University since Sep 2022.

He served four years (2020-2023) as an IEEE AP-S Distinguished Lecturer. Since Jan 2024 he has been the chair of the IEEE AP-S DL Committee. He served one-term in the IEEE AP-S AdCom (2013-2015) and one-term and as a member of IEEE AP-S Field Award Committee (2018-2019). He had been the writer/editor of the “Testing ourselves” Column in the IEEE AP Magazine (2007-2021), a member of the IEEE AP-S Education Committee (2006-2021), He also served in several editorial boards (EB) of other prestigious journals / magazines, such as the IEEE AP Magazine (2007-2021), Wiley’s International Journal of RFMiCAE (2002-2018), and the IEEE Access (2017-2019 and 2020 - 2022). He is the founding chair of the EMC TURKIYE International Conferences (www.emcturkiye.org).

He has been involved with complex electromagnetic problems and complex communication and radar systems for nearly three decades. His research study has focused on propagation in complex environments; electromagnetic scattering and diffraction; RCS prediction and reduction; EMC/EMI modeling, simulation, tests and measurements; multi-sensor integrated wide area surveillance systems; surface wave HF radars; analytical and numerical methods in electromagnetics; FDTD, TLM, FEM, SSPE, and MoM techniques and their applications; bioelectromagnetics. He is also interested in novel approaches in engineering education, teaching electromagnetics via virtual tools. He also teaches popular science lectures such as Science, Technology and Society.

He has given dozens of seminars, invited/keynote talks, organized/presented several tutorials, training sessions and short courses from half-day to three-days in universities/institutes all around the World. He has published more than a dozen special issues / sections in many journals as a guest editor and/or a co-guest editor.

He has published many books / book chapters in English and Turkish, over 180 journal/magazine papers / tutorials and attended more than 100 international conferences / symposiums. His three books Complex Electromagnetic Problems and Numerical Simulation Approaches, Electromagnetic Modeling and Simulation and Radiowave Propagation and Parabolic Equation Modeling were published by the IEEE Press - WILEY in 2003, 2014, and 2017, respectively. His fourth and fifth books, A Practical Guide to EMC Engineering (Sep 2017) and Diffraction Modeling and Simulation with MATLAB (Feb 2021) were published by ARTECH HOUSE.

His h-index is 37, with a record of more than 4950 citations (source: Google Scholar, Dec 2023).

Email:

Address:ATLAS University, , Istanbul, Türkiye

Piero Angeletti of European Space Agency

Abstract

Multi-Beam Antennas (MBAs) find broad application in several fields including wireless and satellite communications, RADARs for electronic surveillance and remote sensing, science (e.g. radio telescopes), RF navigation systems, etc. In all these systems Beam-Forming Networks (BFNs) play an essential role enabling the set of radiating elements composing the antenna to generate a multitude of beams. MBAs and BFNs are nowadays fundamental elements in emerging MIMO and 5/6G communications.

The trade-off on the best antenna solution involves both antenna aspects, like antenna and elements layout, pattern and interference control, antenna technology, as well as several microwave aspects including filtering, amplification (both high power and low noise), frequency conversion, and it is largely dominated by the BFN interconnectivity and flexibility requirements, with a wide range of applicable BFN architectures with different complexity and performance. The lecture will present design principles and state-of-the-art in Multi-Beam Antennas (MBAs) and Beam-Forming Networks (BFNs) covering both theoretical and practical aspects.

The interrelations between antenna and microwave design of the active part of the array and of the beamforming network have deep theoretical and practical implications both for the antenna and microwave engineer and are subject of continuous and growing research attention from both the antenna and microwave technical community.

Biography:

Piero Angeletti received the Laurea degree in Electronics Engineering from the University of Ancona (Italy) in 1996, and the PhD in Electromagnetism from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” (Italy) in 2010.

Since 2004 he has been with the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) of the European Space Agency (ESA), in Noordwijk (The Netherlands). In his current position as

Head of the Radio Frequency Payloads and Technology Division of the ESA Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality, he is leading a multidisciplinary team of renewed experts which is responsible for RF payloads and technologies for space and ground applications, as well as propagation & wave interactions, and associated laboratory facilities.

His 25+ years experience in RF systems engineering and technical management encompasses conceptual/architectural design, trade-offs, detailed design, production, integration and testing of satellite payloads and active antenna systems for commercial/military telecommunications and navigation (spanning all the operating bands and set of applications) as well as for multifunction RADARs and electronic countermeasure systems.

In particular he oversees ESA Research and Development activities related to flexible satellite payloads, active antennas, RF front-ends and on-board digital processors, holding more than 20 international patents on multibeam antennas and analog/digital beamforming networks.

He is the co-organizer of the EurAP-ESoA course on Active Antennas (2021, 2023) and instructor of the short courses on Multibeam Antennas and Beamforming Networks during international conferences (which has been attended by more than 1000 participants)  .

In 2022 he received the S. A. Schelkunoff award by the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society for the best IEEE TAP paper published in 2021, “Traffic Balancing Multibeam Antennas for Communication Satellites.”

Email:

Address:ESTEC - Keplerlaan 1 - P.O. Box 299, 2200 AG, Noordwijk, Netherlands, 2200