A simplified algorithm for leaky network analyzer calibration

A new algorithm for network analyzer calibration is presented. The error model includes leakage effects and can be applied to a general n-port NWA. The 2-port 16-term model becomes a special case of this new technique which is also hopefully suitable for the calibration problems of multiport on-wafer probing systems. Experimental results testify the effectiveness of the new approach

Structural instability of nonlinear plates modelling suspension bridges: mathematical answers to some long-standing questions

We model the roadway of a suspension bridge as a thin rectangular plate and we study in detail its oscillating modes. The plate is assumed to be hinged on its short edges and free on its long edges. Two different kinds of oscillating modes are found: longitudinal modes and torsional modes. Then we analyze a fourth order hyperbolic equation describing the dynamics of the bridge. In order to emphasize the structural behavior we consider an isolated equation with no forcing and damping. Due to the nonlinear behavior of the cables and hangers, a structural instability appears. With a finite dimensional approximation we prove that the system remains stable at low energies while numerical results show that for larger energies the system becomes unstable. We analyze the energy thresholds of instability and we show that the model allows to give answers to several questions left open by the Tacoma collapse in 1940.Comment: 33 page

Comparison between a vector multiport network analyzer and the national S-parameter measurement system

A multiport vector network analyzer based on a new calibration concept, has been compared with the P-port S-parameter National measurement system at IENGF. The measurements were performed on precision 7 mm standard components and exhibited an optimum agreement. These results open the possibility to use the new multiport network analyzer for certification measurements of multiport device

Accuracy of a multiport network analyzer

The accuracy of a multiport vector network analyzer, which uses a new calibration concept, has been compared with a 2-port network analyzer that implements the classical TRL procedure. The accuracy assessment is based on the analysis of the error propagation due to the connectors repeatability, both of the used standards and the measurands. The comparison, performed in the 2-18 GHz band on devices fitted with APC-7 mm connectors, proved the high accuracy reached by a multiport system which can qualify for metrological applications

New dispatching paradigm in power systems including EV charging stations and dispersed generation: A real test case

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are becoming one of the main answers to the decarbonization of the transport sector and Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to the decarbonization of the electricity production sector. Nevertheless, their impact on the electric grids cannot be neglected. New paradigms for the management of the grids where they are connected, which are typically distribution grids in Medium Voltage (MV) and Low Voltage (LV), are necessary. A reform of dispatching rules, including the management of distribution grids and the resources there connected, is in progress in Europe. In this paper, a new paradigm linked to the design of reform is proposed and then tested, in reference to a real distribution grid, operated by the main Italian Distribution System Operator (DSO), e-distribuzione. First, in reference to suitable future scenarios of spread of RES-based power plants and EVs charging stations (EVCS), using Power Flow (PF) models, a check of the operation of the distribution grid, in reference to the usual rules of management, is made. Second, a new dispatching model, involving DSO and the resources connected to its grids, is tested, using an Optimal Power Flow (OPF) algorithm. Results show that the new paradigm of dispatching can effectively be useful for preventing some operation problems of the distribution grids

Dynamical heterogeneities as fingerprints of a backbone structure in Potts models

We investigate slow non-equilibrium dynamical processes in two-dimensional $q$--state Potts model with both ferromagnetic and $\pm J$ couplings. Dynamical properties are characterized by means of the mean-flipping time distribution. This quantity is known for clearly unveiling dynamical heterogeneities. Using a two-times protocol we characterize the different time scales observed and relate them to growth processes occurring in the system. In particular we target the possible relation between the different time scales and the spatial heterogeneities originated in the ground state topology, which are associated to the presence of a backbone structure. We perform numerical simulations using an approach based on graphics processing units (GPUs) which permits to reach large system sizes. We present evidence supporting both the idea of a growing process in the preasymptotic regime of the glassy phases and the existence of a backbone structure behind this processes.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in PR

Conformal Antenna Array for Millimeter-Wave Communications: Performance Evaluation

In this paper, we study the influence of the radius of a cylindrical supporting structure on radiation properties of a conformal millimeter-wave antenna array. Bent antenna array structures on cylindrical surfaces may have important applications in future mobile devices. Small radii may be needed if the antenna is printed on the edges of mobile devices and in items which human beings are wearing, such as wrist watches, bracelets and rings. The antenna under study consists of four linear series-fed arrays of four patch elements and is operating at 58.8 GHz with linear polarization. The antenna array is fabricated on polytetrafluoroethylene substrate with thickness of 0.127 mm due to its good plasticity properties and low losses. Results for both planar and conformal antenna arrays show rather good agreement between simulation and measurements. The results show that conformal antenna structures allow achieving large angular coverage and may allow beam-steering implementations if switches are used to select between different arrays around a cylindrical supporting structure.Comment: Keywords: conformal antenna, millimeter-wave communications, patch antenna array. 11 pages, 10 figures, 1 tabl