New broadband, low cost and compact MIMO radar frontends

En esta disertación industrial, se han abordado una variedad de nuevas ideas. En el capítulo 2, se expone una breve introducción a la teoría básica de los radares tipo MIMO, así como también conceptos esenciales como FMCW, TDM o la estimación de ángulos. En el siguiente capítulo, un radar de tipo MIMO es presentado. En el varias tarjetas de circuitos impresos son apiladas, creando de esta forma, una agrupación de antenas de gran ancho de banda bidimensional. Mis trabajo es presentado en este capítulo, así también como las imágenes radar finales. Al final, el incremento de resolución debido a la técnica MIMO se demuestra exitosamente. Una iteración de el prototipo es presentado en el capítulo 4. Este radar sustituye las múltiples tarjetas impresas por una sola, la cual contiene RSPA basadas en cavidades de aire. Este circuito se ha diseñado con dos cadenas de conmutadores independientes, de tal forma que se dos formas de onda podrían ser enviadas de forma simultánea. Por ello, un radar en tiempo real, como por ejemplo un radar OFMD puede ser probado con este hardware. La característica zona vacía de los radares MIMO ha sido ocupada con una segunda funcionalidad. Primero, con antenas espirales para las comunicaciones y después a cámara, la cual mejora la detección, clasificación y el rastreo de objetivos. El capítulo 5 introduce novedosos componentes de RF, de muy ancho de banda e integrables con tarjetas de circuito impreso como un Divisor Wilkinson y una antena impresa en 3D. Estos componentes han sido diseñado, fabricado y medido de forma satisfactoria. El gran ancho de banda objetivo permite a estos componentes operar para múltiples funciones. El capítulo 6 introduce nuevos componentes clave de bajas pérdidas como el acoplador Moreno y la antena de guía de ondas ranurada en una nueva y prometedora tecnología. ESIW reduce las pérdidas de las guías de ondas integradas eliminando el dieléctrico interno. Estos componentes han sido diseñados, fabricados y medidos. Los prototipos producidos son un primer paso antes de un refinamiento final antes de introducir el producto al mercado. Además, se han explorado tecnología más disruptivas para futuros proyectos.In this industrial dissertation, a variety of new and creative ideas has been adressed. In Chapter 2, a brief introduction to an existing MIMO radar theory as well as to the neccessary basic concepts of FMCW, TDM and angle estimation has been given. After that, in Chapter 3 a complete and fully functional MIMO radar has been presented. The sandwich approach enabled to stack PCBs to make up a modular bi-dimensional array of very wideband TSA antennas. My contributions to this radar have been presented in detail as well as the final imaging results, in which the increment of the resolution due to the MIMO technique has succesfully been tested. A next iteration of the portotype has been introduced in Chapter 4. This radar replaces the multiple stacked PCBs by a single one, which is populated with air-cavity-based RSPAs. This PCB has been designed with two independent switch chains, in such a manner that the two different waveforms can be sent simultaneously. Therefore, a real time radar, as for instance OFMD can be tested with this hardware. The characteristic inoccupied space at the center of a bidimentional MIMO array is filled with a second funtionality. Firstly, spiral antennas for communication have been designed, integrated and tested. Secondly, the spiral antennas have been cut off. In the remaining hole, a camara, which improves the detection, clasification and tracking of targets, has been placed. Chapter 5 presents new, very broadband (4-40 GHz) and integrable-with-PCBs RF components as a Wilkinson divider and a 3D printed TEM horn antenna. These components have succesfuly been designed, fabricated and tested. The targeted wide frequency range allows the usage of these components for multiple functions. In Chapter 6 new low losses key components as the Moreno cross-guide coupler and slotted waveguide antenna are presented in a new very promising technology. ESIW reduces the loss of the integrated waveguides (SIW) by removing the inner dielectric, following a very interesting fabrication process. These two components have been, designed, fabricated and measured. On one hand, the produced prototypes are the first step towards further Airbus refinement before introducing a product to the market. On the other hand, some disruptive technologies and components have been explored in order to keep track of the following advances in terms of innovation.En aquesta dissertació industrial, s'han abordat una varietat de noves idees. En el capítol 2, s'exposa una breu introducció a la teoria bàsica dels radars tipus MIMO i conceptes essencials com FMCW, TDM o l'estimació d'angles. En el següent capítol, un radar de tipus MIMO és presentat. Diverses targetes de circuits impresos són apilades, creant d'aquesta manera, una agrupació d'antenes bidimensional de gran ample de banda. El meu treball és presentat en aquest capítol, així també com les imatges radar finals. Al final, l'increment de resolució a causa de la tècnica MIMO es demostra amb èxit. La següent iteració del prototip és presentada al capítol 4. Aquest radar substitueix les múltiples targetes impreses per una sola, la qual conté RSPA basades en cavitats d'aire. Aquest circuit s'ha dissenyat amb dues cadenes de commutadors independents, de tal manera que dues formes d'ona podrien ser enviades de forma simultània. Per això, un radar en temps real, com per exemple un radar OFMD pot ser provat amb aquest radar. La característica zona buida dels radars MIMO ha estat ocupada amb una segona funcionalitat. Primer, amb antenes espirals per a les comunicacions i després per a càmera, la qual millora la detecció, classificació i el rastreig d'objectius. El capítol 5 introdueix nous components de RF, de molt ample de banda i integrables amb targetes de circuit imprès com un Divisor Wilkinson i una antena impresa en 3D. Aquests components han estat dissenyats, fabricats i mesurats de forma satisfactòria. El gran ample de banda objectiu permet a aquests components operar per a múltiples funcions. El capítol 6 introdueix nous components clau de baixes pèrdues com el acoblador Moreno i l'antena de guia d'ones ranurada en una nova i prometedora tecnologia. ESIW redueix les pèrdues de les guies d'ones integrades eliminant el dielèctric intern. Aquests components han estat dissenyats, fabricats i mesurats. Els prototips produïts són un primer pas abans d'un refinament final abans d'introduir el producte al mercat. A més, s'han explorat tecnologia més disruptives per a futurs projectes.Miralles Navarro, E. (2018). New broadband, low cost and compact MIMO radar frontends [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/107960TESI

Optical quality assurance of GEM foils

An analysis software was developed for the high aspect ratio optical scanning system in the Detec- tor Laboratory of the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki Institute of Physics. The system is used e.g. in the quality assurance of the GEM-TPC detectors being developed for the beam diagnostics system of the SuperFRS at future FAIR facility. The software was tested by analyzing five CERN standard GEM foils scanned with the optical scanning system. The measurement uncertainty of the diameter of the GEM holes and the pitch of the hole pattern was found to be 0.5 {\mu}m and 0.3 {\mu}m, respectively. The software design and the performance are discussed. The correlation between the GEM hole size distribution and the corresponding gain variation was studied by comparing them against a detailed gain mapping of a foil and a set of six lower precision control measurements. It can be seen that a qualitative estimation of the behavior of the local variation in gain across the GEM foil can be made based on the measured sizes of the outer and inner holes.Comment: 12 pages, 29 figure

Tutorial: A guide to techniques for analysing recordings from the peripheral nervous system

The nervous system, through a combination of conscious and automatic processes, enables the regulation of the body and its interactions with the environment. The peripheral nervous system is an excellent target for technologies that seek to modulate, restore or enhance these abilities as it carries sensory and motor information that most directly relates to a target organ or function. However, many applications require a combination of both an effective peripheral nerve interface and effective signal processing techniques to provide selective and stable recordings. While there are many reviews on the design of peripheral nerve interfaces, reviews of data analysis techniques and translational considerations are limited. Thus, this tutorial aims to support new and existing researchers in the understanding of the general guiding principles, and introduces a taxonomy for electrode configurations, techniques and translational models to consider

Back-end Design of the Readout System for Cryogenic Particle Detectors

Diese Arbeit widmet sich dem Design und der Entwicklung des digitalen Back-Ends (D-BE) für Raumtemperatur-Ausleseelektronik, die in kryogenen Quantendetektoren verwendet wird. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf Anwendungen im Zusammenhang mit Experimenten zur Kosmischen Hintergrundstrahlung (CMB, im Englischen \textit{Cosmic Microwave Background radiation} genannt), jedoch ist die Technologie anpassbar für Partikeldetektionsexperimente. Zwei Schlüsselprojekte stehen im Mittelpunkt dieser Forschung: das QUBIC-Projekt zur Erkennung der B-Mode-Polarisation des CMB und das ECHo-Experiment, das darauf abzielt, eine neue Obergrenze für die Bestimmung der Neutrinomasse im Sub-eV-Bereich festzulegen. In diesen Projekten werden Übergangskanten-Sensoren (TES) und magnetische Mikrokalorimeter (MMCs) eingesetzt. Im Fall des QUBIC-Projekts werden die TES unter Verwendung von Zeitaufteilungsmultiplexing (TDM) gemultiplext. Es wurde jedoch ein Vorschlag für einen neuen Bolo\-meter-Typ namens Magnetischer Mikrobolometer (MMB) in der QUBIC-Kollaboration vorgestellt, der die Implementierung eines Frequenzaufteilungsmultiplexing (FDM)-Sys\-tems ermöglicht. Dies könnte durch die Verwendung eines Mikrowellen-Supraleiter-Quan\-teninterferenzgerät (SQUID)-Multiplexers ($\mu$MUX) erreicht werden, ähnlich wie bei den MMCs im ECHo-Experiment. Zur Erleichterung der Auslese der gemultiplexten Detektoren wird ein mehrtoniges Signal erzeugt, wobei jede Frequenztonkomponente einen $\mu$MUX-Kanal innerhalb des Kryostaten überwacht. Dieses Signal passiert dann einen rauscharmen Verstärker (LNA, im Englischen \textit{Low-Noise Amplifier} genannt), der in der Regel in der 4 K-Stufe liegt, bevor es das Hochfrequenz-Front-End (RF-FE) erreicht. Das RF-FE umfasst Hochfrequenzelektronik, die sowohl mit dem D-BE als auch mit der Elektronik im Kryostaten verbunden ist. Diese Arbeit stellt eine neuartige Anwendung des Goertzel-Filters zur Kanalisierung von mehrtonigen Signalen vor. Durch Simulationen, die mit einem in dieser Arbeit entwickelten auf Python basierenden Softwarepaket durchgeführt wurden, wurde die optimale Konfiguration für die Signalgenerierung und -erfassung in Bezug auf Rauschleistung, Abschirmung gegen Übersprechen und Systemlinearität ermittelt. Diese Arbeit zeigt, wie dieser Ansatz effizient in einem Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) implementiert werden kann, was die Skalierbarkeit bei der Auslese mehrerer Sensoren ermöglicht. Diese Skalierung is im Besonderen in Anwendungen wie Radioteleskopen für CMB-Messungen, kryogenen Kalorimetern für die Partikeldetektion und Quantencomputing entscheidend. Umfangreiche Validierungsexperimente zeigen, wie die Implementierung dieses Filtersatzes die Kanalisierung des mehrtonigen Eingangssignals zur Wiederherstellung der von den Detektoren aufgezeichneten Daten ermöglicht

Improved micro-contact resistance model that considers material deformation, electron transport and thin film characteristics

This paper reports on an improved analytic model forpredicting micro-contact resistance needed for designing microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) switches. The originalmodel had two primary considerations: 1) contact materialdeformation (i.e. elastic, plastic, or elastic-plastic) and 2) effectivecontact area radius. The model also assumed that individual aspotswere close together and that their interactions weredependent on each other which led to using the single effective aspotcontact area model. This single effective area model wasused to determine specific electron transport regions (i.e. ballistic,quasi-ballistic, or diffusive) by comparing the effective radius andthe mean free path of an electron. Using this model required thatmicro-switch contact materials be deposited, during devicefabrication, with processes ensuring low surface roughness values(i.e. sputtered films). Sputtered thin film electric contacts,however, do not behave like bulk materials and the effects of thinfilm contacts and spreading resistance must be considered. Theimproved micro-contact resistance model accounts for the twoprimary considerations above, as well as, using thin film,sputtered, electric contact

Manufacture and Investigation of Organic Composite Polymer Based Films for Advanced Flexible Solar Cells

Modern society has created big challenges in the area of sustainable supply of energy to satisfy the needs of growing population and to account for depleting fossil fuel resources. The Irish Government has set targets for the energy sector by 2020, with 33% of electricity to be generated from renewable sources. Organic photovoltaic devices offer several advantages over expensive silicon solar cells, including deposition of ultra-thin films by spin-coating, printing and spray-coating. This in turn provides for the exciting possibility to make lightweight, flexible solar cells for a broad range of existing and emerging applications for security, military and medicine. This research project was inspired by the current drive into finding alternative technologies and materials for the design and manufacture of advanced solar cells. The primary objective was to tailor the properties of Poly3Hexylthiophene: PhenylC60 Buturic Acid Methyl Esther composite (P3HT:PCBM) thin films for flexible organic solar cells performance. The extensive experimental work was conducted to reveal the effect of the solar irradiation and thermal annealing on the dielectric, optical and electrical properties of P3HT:PCBM thin films. A common degradation pattern was demonstrated in the films after UV exposure whereby the optical absorbance and the resistivity were shown to be inversely proportionate. These two correlating techniques showed similar patterns after exposure. It was also shown that annealing the structure after deposition increased the absorbance in the thin film and the quantum efficiency of the final prototype device was related to film morphology. The dielectric properties of these films were studied using a novel microwave spectroscopy technique and it is believed to be the first report on the application of this novel technique to photovoltaic materials characterisation. To examine the dielectric properties of the P3HT:PCBM films using microwave spectroscopy, two types of Electro Magnetic (EM) wave sensors were fabricated, one on a Rogers substrate with Cu patterns and a second on a flexible substrate with Ag patterns. Both types of EM sensors exhibited shifts in resonant peak frequencies and amplitude during exposure to solar irradiation. All other experimental parameters and environmental conditions were kept constant. Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that the proposed method of microwave spectroscopy is a reliable tool to trace the changes in the properties of the materials caused by solar irradiation. The optical properties of the P3HT:PCBM films displayed a decrease in absorbance after 40mins solar simulator irradiation and then an increase in absorbance from 40 min to 20hrs. The electrical properties of P3HT:PCBM films showed a resistance decrease as the films were illuminated by a solar simulator from 0 to 40 min, and a subsequent increase in resistance up to 20hrs. In addition, a bespoke solar cell on flexible Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was constructed and tested. It exhibited a fill factor and an efficiency of 0.3238 and 0.49% respectively. Although the performance is poor compared to reported state of the art for organic solar cells, the work demonstrates that operational devices can be manufactured under non-optimised laboratory conditions

Microwave Sensing and Imaging

In recent years, microwave sensing and imaging have acquired an ever-growing importance in several applicative fields, such as non-destructive evaluations in industry and civil engineering, subsurface prospection, security, and biomedical imaging. Indeed, microwave techniques allow, in principle, for information to be obtained directly regarding the physical parameters of the inspected targets (dielectric properties, shape, etc.) by using safe electromagnetic radiations and cost-effective systems. Consequently, a great deal of research activity has recently been devoted to the development of efficient/reliable measurement systems, which are effective data processing algorithms that can be used to solve the underlying electromagnetic inverse scattering problem, and efficient forward solvers to model electromagnetic interactions. Within this framework, this Special Issue aims to provide some insights into recent microwave sensing and imaging systems and techniques

A Proposal for a Three Detector Short-Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Program in the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam

A Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) physics program of three LAr-TPC detectors located along the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) at Fermilab is presented. This new SBN Program will deliver a rich and compelling physics opportunity, including the ability to resolve a class of experimental anomalies in neutrino physics and to perform the most sensitive search to date for sterile neutrinos at the eV mass-scale through both appearance and disappearance oscillation channels. Using data sets of 6.6e20 protons on target (P.O.T.) in the LAr1-ND and ICARUS T600 detectors plus 13.2e20 P.O.T. in the MicroBooNE detector, we estimate that a search for muon neutrino to electron neutrino appearance can be performed with ~5 sigma sensitivity for the LSND allowed (99% C.L.) parameter region. In this proposal for the SBN Program, we describe the physics analysis, the conceptual design of the LAr1-ND detector, the design and refurbishment of the T600 detector, the necessary infrastructure required to execute the program, and a possible reconfiguration of the BNB target and horn system to improve its performance for oscillation searches.Comment: 209 pages, 129 figure