MoM-SO: a Complete Method for Computing the Impedance of Cable Systems Including Skin, Proximity, and Ground Return Effects

The availability of accurate and broadband models for underground and submarine cable systems is of paramount importance for the correct prediction of electromagnetic transients in power grids. Recently, we proposed the MoM-SO method for extracting the series impedance of power cables while accounting for skin and proximity effect in the conductors. In this paper, we extend the method to include ground return effects and to handle cables placed inside a tunnel. Numerical tests show that the proposed method is more accurate than widely-used analytic formulas, and is much faster than existing proximity-aware approaches like finite elements. For a three-phase cable system in a tunnel, the proposed method requires only 0.3 seconds of CPU time per frequency point, against the 8.3 minutes taken by finite elements, for a speed up beyond 1000 X.Comment: This paper has now been published in the IEEE Trans. on Power Delivery in Oct. 2015, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 2110-2118. DOI: 10.1109/TPWRD.2014.237859

Entire domain basis function expansion of the differential surface admittance for efficient broadband characterization of lossy interconnects

This article presents a full-wave method to characterize lossy conductors in an interconnect setting. To this end, a novel and accurate differential surface admittance operator for cuboids based on entire domain basis functions is formulated. By combining this new operator with the augmented electric field integral equation, a comprehensive broadband characterization is obtained. Compared with the state of the art in differential surface admittance operator modeling, we prove the accuracy and improved speed of the novel formulation. Additional examples support these conclusions by comparing the results with commerical software tools and with measurements

Metodologia Per la Caratterizzazione di amplificatori a basso rumore per UMTS

In questo lavoro si presenta una metodologia di progettazione elettronica a livello di sistema, affrontando il problema della caratterizzazione dello spazio di progetto dell' amplificatore a basso rumore costituente il primo stadio di un front end a conversione diretta per UMTS realizzato in tecnologia CMOS con lunghezza di canale .18u. La metodologia è sviluppata al fine di valutare in modo quantititativo le specifiche ottime di sistema per il front-end stesso e si basa sul concetto di Piattaforma Analogica, che prevede la costruzione di un modello di prestazioni per il blocco analogico basato su campionamento statistico di indici di prestazioni del blocco stesso, misurati tramite simulazione di dimensionamenti dei componenti attivi e passivi soddisfacenti un set di equazioni specifico della topologia circuitale. Gli indici di prestazioni vengono successivamente ulizzati per parametrizzare modelli comportamentali utilizzati nelle fasi di ottimizzazione a livello di sistema. Modelli comportamentali atti a rappresentare i sistemi RF sono stati pertanto studiati per ottimizzare la scelta delle metriche di prestazioni. L'ottimizzazione dei set di equazioni atti a selezionare le configurazione di interesse per il campionamento ha al tempo stesso richiesto l'approfondimento dei modelli di dispositivi attivi validi in tutte le regioni di funzionamento, e lo studio dettagliato della progettazione degli amplificatori a basso rumore basati su degenerazione induttiva. Inoltre, il problema della modellizzazione a livello di sistema degli effetti della comunicazione tra LNA e Mixer è stato affrontato proponendo e analizzando diverse soluzioni. Il lavoro ha permesso di condurre un'ottimizzazione del front-end UMTS, giungendo a specifiche ottime a livello di sistema per l'amplificatore stesso

Noise and signal modeling of various VCSEL structures

Current evolution in Datacoms and Gigabit Ethernet have made 850nm Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers(VCSEL) the most important and promising emitter. Numerous different structures have been growth, to obtain bestcurrent confinement and then to control the emitted light modal behavior. We have developed a small signal equivalent electrical model of VCSEL including Bragg reflectors, active area, chip connection and noise behavior. Easy tointegrate with classical software for circuit studies, this model which is widely adaptable for different structures takesinto account the complete electrical environment of the chip. An experimental validation for RF modulation up to 10GHz has been realized on oxide confined VCSEL, demonstrating that the model could be used to get realistic valuesfor the VCSEL intrinsic parameters.Including Langevin noise sources into the rate equations and using the same electrical analogy, noise current andvoltage sources can be added to the model. It allows good prediction for the RIN function shape up to 10GHz formonomodal emitter

Blackbox Quantization of Superconducting Circuits using exact Impedance Synthesis

We propose a new quantization method for superconducting electronic circuits involving a Josephson junction device coupled to a linear microwave environment. The method is based on an exact impedance synthesis of the microwave environment considered as a blackbox with impedance function Z(s). The synthesized circuit captures dissipative dynamics of the system with resistors coupled to the reactive part of the circuit in a non-trivial way. We quantize the circuit and compute relaxation rates following previous formalisms for lumped element circuit quantization. Up to the errors in the fit our method gives an exact description of the system and its losses

Automated parametrical antenna modelling for ambient assisted living applications

In this paper a parametric modeling technique for a fast polynomial extraction of the physically relevant parameters of inductively coupled RFID/NFC (radio frequency identification/near field communication) antennas is presented. The polynomial model equations are obtained by means of a three-step procedure: first, full Partial Element Equivalent Circuit (PEEC) antenna models are determined by means of a number of parametric simulations within the input parameter range of a certain antenna class. Based on these models, the RLC antenna parameters are extracted in a subsequent model reduction step. Employing these parameters, polynomial equations describing the antenna parameter with respect to (w.r.t.) the overall antenna input parameter range are extracted by means of polynomial interpolation and approximation of the change of the polynomials' coefficients. The described approach is compared to the results of a reference PEEC solver with regard to accuracy and computation effort

Nonlinear mechanisms in passive microwave devices

Premi extraordinari doctorat curs 2010-2011, àmbit d’Enginyeria de les TICThe telecommunications industry follows a tendency towards smaller devices, higher power and higher frequency, which imply an increase on the complexity of the electronics involved. Moreover, there is a need for extended capabilities like frequency tunable devices, ultra-low losses or high power handling, which make use of advanced materials for these purposes. In addition, increasingly demanding communication standards and regulations push the limits of the acceptable performance degrading indicators. This is the case of nonlinearities, whose effects, like increased Adjacent Channel Power Ratio (ACPR), harmonics, or intermodulation distortion among others, are being included in the performance requirements, as maximum tolerable levels. In this context, proper modeling of the devices at the design stage is of crucial importance in predicting not only the device performance but also the global system indicators and to make sure that the requirements are fulfilled. In accordance with that, this work proposes the necessary steps for circuit models implementation of different passive microwave devices, from the linear and nonlinear measurements to the simulations to validate them. Bulk acoustic wave resonators and transmission lines made of high temperature superconductors, ferroelectrics or regular metals and dielectrics are the subject of this work. Both phenomenological and physical approaches are considered and circuit models are proposed and compared with measurements. The nonlinear observables, being harmonics, intermodulation distortion, and saturation or detuning, are properly related to the material properties that originate them. The obtained models can be used in circuit simulators to predict the performance of these microwave devices under complex modulated signals, or even be used to predict their performance when integrated into more complex systems. A key step to achieve this goal is an accurate characterization of materials and devices, which is faced by making use of advanced measurement techniques. Therefore, considerations on special measurement setups are being made along this thesis.Award-winningPostprint (published version