UCSB

We describe the opportunities, and the research challenges, presented in the development of 100-300GHz wireless communications and imaging systems. In such links, short wavelengths permit massive spatial multiplexing both for network nodes and point-point links, permitting aggregate transmission capacities approaching 1Tb/s. 100-300GHz radar imaging systems can provide thousands of image pixels and sub-degree angular resolution from small apertures, supporting foul-weather driving and aviation. Challenges include the mm-wave IC designs, the physical design of the front-end modules, the complexity of the back-end digital beamformer required for spatial multiplexing, and, for imaging, the development of system architectures requiring far fewer RF channels than the number of image pixels. We will describe transistor development, IC design, and system design, and describe our efforts to develop 140GHz massive MIMO wireless hubs, and 210GHz and 280GHz MIMO backhaul links.

Biography:

Mark Rodwell holds the Doluca Family Endowed Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering at UCSB and directs the SRC/DARPA Center for Converged TeraHertz Communications and Sensing. His research group develops nm and THz transistors, and high-frequency integrated circuits and systems. Prof. Rodwell received the 2010 IEEE Sarnoff Award, the 2012 Marconi Prize Paper Award, the 1997 IEEE Microwave Prize, the 2009 IEEE IPRM Conference Award, and the 1998 European Microwave Conference Microwave Prize.

Address:United States

Opterus R&D

Opterus specializes in advanced deployable structures, primarily utilizing High Strain Composite (HSC) materials. Using these materials with unique folding patterns, Opterus has developed novel deployable apertures that provide advantages over current state-of-the-art antennas. One example is Opterus’ patented Spiral Wrapped Antenna Technology (SWATH) — a fully continuous, solid surface deployable parabolic reflector architecture that enables low-cost, high-frequency communications and radar missions. The antenna stows into a compact form factor for launch and maintains high precision upon deployment. The mold-based manufacturing process reduces cost and shortens lead times while increasing the antenna’s operating frequency. Opterus’ capabilities, deployable aperture architectures, and prototype testing results will be discussed.

Biography:

Jenna Commisso received her B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2019. Since then, she has worked in the aerospace industry as a mechanical engineer in production and R&D settings. Commisso has been working on Opterus HSC deployable structures for over 2.5 years and currently leads the RF systems team as a program manager and engineer. She has been heavily involved in the development of SWATH, leading AI&T efforts such as layup design and manufacturing, inspection and metrology, and testing. Before Opterus, Commisso received an Engineering Excellence award while at Collins Aerospace for resolving a testing yield investigation. Commisso has established herself as a strong leader of the Opterus RF Systems team by combining her aerospace engineering experience and people and program management skills.

Address:United States

Advances in computational electromagnetic tools have made antenna design and integration of antennas on various ground, sea, air, and ground platforms possible. Now numerical simulations can be performed to evaluate the effects of antenna design, placement, radiation hazard, EMC/EMI, etc. for wide ranging defense industry applications. With every platform becoming increasingly connected, the defense industry is no exception with numerous complex communication systems. The use of electromagnetic (EM) simulation technologies to improve design efficiency and reduce physical testing costs continues to be one of the best ways to address engineering challenges in the defense industry. This talk presents simulation solutions and discusses various case studies of antenna placement, co-site interference, and Radar Cross Section (RCS) that apply to the defense industry.

Biography:

Dr. C.J. Reddy is Vice President, Business Development-Electromagnetics for Americas at Altair Engineering, Inc. Dr. Reddy was awarded the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada Visiting Fellowship to work at Communications Research Center in Ottawa during 1991-1993 and was awarded the US National Research Council (NRC) Resident Research Associateship in 1993 to work at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. He also worked as Research Professor at Hampton University from 1995 to 2000. Dr. Reddy was the President of Applied EM, Inc (2000-2017) where he led several Phase I and Phase II SBIR projects for the DoD and NASA. He was also the President of EM Software & Systems (USA) Inc (2002-2014) and led the marketing of the EM Simulation tool, Feko in North America. EM Software & Systems (USA) Inc was acquired by Altair in 2014.

Dr. Reddy is a Fellow of IEEE, Fellow of ACES (Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society) and a Fellow of AMTA (Antenna Measurement Techniques Association). Dr. Reddy is a co-author of the book, “Antenna Analysis and Design Using FEKO Electromagnetic Simulation Software,” published in June 2014 by SciTech Publishing (now part of IET). Dr. Reddy served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Open Journal of Antennas of Propagation and IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation. He served as the Chair of IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) Young Professionals Committee during 2021-2024 and served on the AP-S AdCom during 2023-2024. Dr. Reddy is appointed to IEEE Fellows Committee by IEEE Board of Directors for the terms 2020-2021 and 2022-2023. Currently, Dr. Reddy is serving as the 2025 IEEE AP-S President-Elect. Dr. Reddy is inducted into IEEE Heritage Circle by the IEEE Foundation for establishing the "IEEE AP-S CJ Reddy Travel Grant for Graduate Students." 

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 has been elevated to the grade of IEEE Fellow, Class of 2025. He serves as the Chair of the MTT-5 Filters Technical Committee of the IEEE MTT-S. Currently, he is a Distinguished Lecturer for the IEEE MTT-S. From 2018 to 2022, he served as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. Prof. Tomassoni is also the recipient of the 2012 Microwave Prize, awarded by the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society.