Fast Frequency Sweep Technique Based on Segmentation for the Acceleration of the Electromagnetic Analysis of Microwave Devices

[EN] The characterization of communication devices in a certain frequency band can be accelerated if a fast frequency sweep technique is used instead of a discrete frequency sweep. Existing fast frequency sweep techniques are either complex or specific for a certain electromagnetic solver. In this work, a new fast frequency sweep method is proposed that consists in segmenting the device under analysis into simple building blocks. Each building block is characterized with a generalized (multimode) circuital matrix whose elements present a simple and flat frequency response that is interpolated using natural cubic splines with very few points. In this way, the response of each block along the whole frequency band is obtained efficiently and accurately with as many frequency points as desired. Then, the circuital matrices of all the blocks are cascaded and the circuital matrix of the whole device in obtained. The new fast frequency sweep was successfully applied to the analysis of different types of devices (all metallic rectangular waveguide filter, dielectric loaded rectangular waveguide filter, and substrate integrated waveguide filter). The computational times were reduced to 15% or 19%, depending on the device, when compared with a discrete frequency sweep using the same electromagnetic solver.This research was funded by Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad, Spanish Government, under Research Projects TEC2016-75934-C4-3-R and TEC2016-75934-C4-1-R.Martínez-Zamora, JÁ.; Belenguer Martínez, A.; Esteban González, H. (2019). Fast Frequency Sweep Technique Based on Segmentation for the Acceleration of the Electromagnetic Analysis of Microwave Devices. Applied Sciences. 9(6):1-16. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9061118S11696Erdemli, Y. E., Reddy, C. J., & Volakis, J. L. (1999). Awe Technique in Frequency Domain Electromagnetics. Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, 13(3), 359-378. doi:10.1163/156939399x00961Reddy, C. J., Deshpande, M. D., Cockrell, C. R., & Beck, F. B. (1998). Fast RCS computation over a frequency band using method of moments in conjunction with asymptotic waveform evaluation technique. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 46(8), 1229-1233. doi:10.1109/8.718579Polstyanko, S. V., Dyezij-Edlinger, R., & Jin-Fa Lee. (1997). Fast frequency sweep technique for the efficient analysis of dielectric waveguides. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 45(7), 1118-1126. doi:10.1109/22.598450Chiprout, E., & Nakhla, M. S. (1995). Analysis of interconnect networks using complex frequency hopping (CFH). IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, 14(2), 186-200. doi:10.1109/43.370425Gustavsen, B., & Semlyen, A. (1999). Rational approximation of frequency domain responses by vector fitting. IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, 14(3), 1052-1061. doi:10.1109/61.772353Bandler, J. W., Biernacki, R. M., Shao Hua Chen, & Ya Fei Huang. (1997). Design optimization of interdigital filters using aggressive space mapping and decomposition. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 45(5), 761-769. doi:10.1109/22.575598Ros, J. V. M., Pacheco, P. S., Gonzalez, H. E., Esbert, V. E. B., Martin, C. B., Calduch, M. T., … Martinez, B. G. (2005). Fast automated design of waveguide filters using aggressive space mapping with a new segmentation strategy and a hybrid optimization algorithm. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 53(4), 1130-1142. doi:10.1109/tmtt.2005.845685Alos, J. T., & Guglielmi, M. (1997). Simple and effective EM-based optimization procedure for microwave filters. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 45(5), 856-858. doi:10.1109/22.575610Bachiller, C., Gonzalez, H. E., Boria Esbert, V. E., Belenguer Martinez, A., & Morro, J. V. (2007). Efficient Technique for the Cascade Connection of Multiple Two-Port Scattering Matrices. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 55(9), 1880-1886. doi:10.1109/tmtt.2007.904076Interpolación de Splineshttps://www.uv.es/diaz/mn/node40.htmlBachiller, C., Esteban, H., Mata, H., Valdes, M. Á., Boria, V. E., Belenguer, Á., & Morro, J. V. (2010). Hybrid Mode Matching Method for the Efficient Analysis of Metal and Dielectric Rods in H Plane Rectangular Waveguide Devices. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. doi:10.1109/tmtt.2010.208395

A 3-D Printed PCB Integrated TEM Horn Antenna

[EN] This paper presents a very broadband (5-40 GHz) novel three dimension (3-D) printed Transverse ElectroMagnetic (TEM) horn antenna. It is integrated with a planar Printed Circuit Board and radiates in a perpendicular direction of the Printed Circuit Board. The described antenna provides benefits in terms of cost and size for a two dimensional antenna array. Here the antenna and its corresponding transition to a regular 50 Omega microstrip line through Parallel Plate Waveguide and a 90 degrees bend are presented. Prototypes of back-to-back transitions and antenna are fabricated and measured. The antenna has a return loss below -10 dB and a gain of approximately 10 dBi over the targeted frequency range.Miralles-Navarro, E.; Shoenlinner, B.; Belenguer Martínez, A.; Esteban González, H.; Ziegler, V. (2019). A 3-D Printed PCB Integrated TEM Horn Antenna. Radio Science. 54(1):158-165. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018RS006594S158165541Ahmed, A., Zhang, Y., Burns, D., Huston, D., & Xia, T. (2016). Design of UWB Antenna for Air-Coupled Impulse Ground-Penetrating Radar. IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, 13(1), 92-96. doi:10.1109/lgrs.2015.2498404Garcia, C. R., Rumpf, R. C., Tsang, H. H., & Barton, J. H. (2013). Effects of extreme surface roughness on 3D printed horn antenna. Electronics Letters, 49(12), 734-736. doi:10.1049/el.2013.1528Gianesello , F. Bisognin , A. Titz , D. Luxey , C. Fernandes , C. A. Costa , J. R. Gloria , D. 2016 55 56Holloway, C. L., & Kuester, E. F. (2000). Power loss associated with conducting and superconducting rough interfaces. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 48(10), 1601-1610. doi:10.1109/22.873886Liang, M., Shemelya, C., MacDonald, E., Wicker, R., & Xin, H. (2015). 3-D Printed Microwave Patch Antenna via Fused Deposition Method and Ultrasonic Wire Mesh Embedding Technique. IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, 14, 1346-1349. doi:10.1109/lawp.2015.2405054Liang , M. Yu , X. Shemelya , C. MacDonald , E. Xin , H. 2015 “3D printed multilayer MSL structure with vertical transition toward integrated systems" 2015 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium 1 4Local motors 2017 3D Printed Car Close-up Look, Mouser's Strati @ Westec 2017 https://localmotors.com/3d-printed-car/Malherbe , J. A. G. 2012 “Hybrid elliptic TEM horn with symmetric main beam" 15th International Symposium on 2012 Toulouse in Antenna Technology and Applied Electromagnetics (ANTEM), FR 1 4Nayeri, P., Liang, M., Sabory-Garcia, R. A., Tuo, M., Yang, F., Gehm, M., … Elsherbeni, A. Z. (2014). 3D Printed Dielectric Reflectarrays: Low-Cost High-Gain Antennas at Sub-Millimeter Waves. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 62(4), 2000-2008. doi:10.1109/tap.2014.2303195Petrick, I. J., & Simpson, T. W. (2013). 3D Printing Disrupts Manufacturing: How Economies of One Create New Rules of Competition. Research-Technology Management, 56(6), 12-16. doi:10.5437/08956308x5606193Shemelya , C. Zemba , M. Liang , M. Espalin , D. Kief , C. Xin , H. Wicker , R. B. MacDonald , E. W. 2015 “3D printing multi-functionality: Embedded RF antennas and components" 2015 9th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP) 1 5Tavik, G. C., Hilterbrick, C. L., Evins, J. B., Alter, J. J., Crnkovich, J. G., de Graaf, J. W., … Hagewood, S. M. (2005). The advanced multifunction RF concept. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 53(3), 1009-1020. doi:10.1109/tmtt.2005.843485Tomlin , M. Meyer , J. 2011 “Topology optimization of an additive layer manufactured (ALM) aerospace part" The 7th Altair Technology Conference 2011 1 9Wheeler, H. A. (1965). Transmission-Line Properties of Parallel Strips Separated by a Dielectric Sheet. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 13(2), 172-185. doi:10.1109/tmtt.1965.11259623DPrint.com. The Voice of 3D Printing/ Additive Manufacturing 2016 3D printed house https://3dprint.com/tag/3d-printed-house

Wideband Transition for Increased-Height Empty Substrate Integrated Waveguide

(c) 2019 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other users, including reprinting/ republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted components of this work in other works.[EN] Recently, Empty Substrate Integrated Waveguide (ESIW) technology was proposed for embedding empty waveguides into planar substrates in order to improve their performance. A low-loss and narrow-band transition from microstrip to an increased height ESIW with 4 layers was presented in a previous work, and used to implement a very high-quality factor bandpass filter at Q-band. With such a narrow-band transition, based on a quarter-wavelength transformer, a very narrow-band filter response with resonators having a quality factor of 1000 was achieved. In this paper, in order to overcome the narrow-band and the 4-layers output restrictions, and extend the practical use of such increased height ESIWs beyond narrow-band filters, we present a novel wideband transition from microstrip to an increased height ESIW with an arbitrary number of layers. A full suite of wideband transitions to increased height ESIWs, built with different number of substrate layers ranging from 3 to 8, has been designed in this work to operate at Ka-band, though they can be easily transferred to other bands if the dimensions of the transition are properly scaled. To illustrate this, the original Ka-band transitions have been mapped to Ku-band, with excellent results. In order to test the proposed design method, a prototype of a 4-layer structure has been fabricated at Ka-band, achieving a good performance in the whole useful bandwidth of the ESIW.This work was supported in part by the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad, Spanish Government, under Project TEC2016-75934-C4-3-R and Project TEC2016-75934-C4-1-R, and in part by the Consejeria de Educacion, Cultura y Deportes, Autonomous Government of Castilla-La Mancha, under Project SBPLY/17/180501/000351.Martínez-Zamora, JÁ.; Belenguer Martínez, A.; De Dios, JJ.; Esteban González, H.; Boria Esbert, VE. (2019). Wideband Transition for Increased-Height Empty Substrate Integrated Waveguide. IEEE Access. 7:149406-149413. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2947215S149406149413

Compact Microstrip to Empty Substrate Integrated Coaxial Line Transition

Substrate integrated waveguides are increasingly being used due to their capability of combining the advantages of planar circuits and traditional waveguides. The development of empty substrate integrated waveguides has substantially reduced the related insertion losses, since waves propagate through air instead of propagating through a lossy dielectric medium. Recently, a new empty coaxial structure, completely built with printed circuit boards and integrated in a substrate, has been proposed. It has been named empty substrate integrated coaxial Line (ESICL). The resulting coaxial line has low cost, easy manufacturing, low radiation, low losses, high-quality factor, and is non dispersive. A transition from grounded coplanar waveguide to ESICL already exists. In this work, a transition from microstrip to ESICL is presented for the first time. In order to demonstrate its feasibility, a back-to-back structure and a bandpass filter have been manufactured and measured

Segmentation strategy for the efficient analysis and design of substrate integrated waveguide directly coupled cavity filters

In this study, a new segmentation strategy is presented for the full-wave analysis of directly coupled cavity filters in substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology. The whole SIW filter is enclosed inside an external fictitious rectangular waveguide, which does not affect the propagation inside the SIW assuming that the SIW is well designed and there is no significant power leakage. The external rectangular waveguide allows to easily segment the structure into building blocks that are composed of circular metallic vias inside a rectangular waveguide. The generalised scattering matrix of these building blocks is obtained with highly efficient techniques specifically suited for the analysis of H-plane rectangular waveguide devices. Some building blocks are repeated along the structure, and their scattering matrix has to be computed only once. The scattering matrices of all the building blocks are cascaded and the scattering matrix of the whole filter is obtained. A SIW filter of eight coupled cavities with a bandpass response centred at 11 GHz is analysed. Results from this analysis show that the computational time has been significantly reduced when compared with other specific SIW analysis methods or with commercial general purpose software, while maintaining a good accuracy

Avances en Tecnologías de Comunicación basadas en Microondas

En los últimos años se han presentado una gran variedad de nuevas tecnologías y dispositivos de comunicación. Estas nuevas tecnologías y dispositivos requieren el uso de componentes con propiedades mejoradas respecto al tamaño, peso, tipo de propagación de señales, respuesta reconfigurable en tiempo real, etc. En el seno del grupo de Electromagnetismo Aplicado de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha se están realizando varios estudios en esta dirección. Más específicamente, se está investigando en el diseño de componentes de microondas basados en estructuras integradas en sustrato y metamateriales

New Algorithms Improving PML Risk Stratification in MS Patients Treated With Natalizumab

none60siOverview: We assessed the role of age and disease activity as new factors contributing to establish the risk of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy in multiple sclerosis patients treated with natalizumab in 36 University Hospitals in Europe. We performed the study in 1,307 multiple sclerosis patients (70.8% anti-John Cunninghan virus positive antibodies) treated with natalizumab for a median time of 3.28 years. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory variables were collected. Lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal band status was available in 277 patients. Factors associated with progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy onset were explored by uni- and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Thirty-five patients developed progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy. The multivariate analysis identified anti-John Cunninghan virus antibody indices and relapse rate as the best predictors for the onset of this serious opportunistic infection in the whole cohort. They allowed to stratify progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy risk before natalizumab initiation in individual patients [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.85]. The risk ranged from <1/3,300 in patients with anti-John Cunninghan virus antibody indices <0.9 and relapse rate >0.5, to 1/50 in the opposite case. In patients with lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal bands assessment, age at natalizumab onset, anti-John Cunninghan virus antibody indices, and lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal band status predicted progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy risk (AUC = 0.92). The absence of lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal bands was the best individual predictor (OR = 40.94). The individual risk ranged from <1/10,000 in patients younger than 45 years at natalizumab initiation, who showed anti John Cunningham virus antibody indices <0.9 and lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal bands to 1/33 in the opposite case. Conclusions: In a perspective of personalized medicine, disease activity, anti-lipid specific IgM oligoclonal bands, anti Jonh Cunninghan virus antibody levels, and age can help tailor natalizumab therapy in multiple sclerosis patients, as predictors of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy.mixedToboso, Inmaculada; Tejeda-Velarde, Amalia; Alvarez-Lafuente, Roberto; Arroyo, Rafael; Hegen, Harald; Deisenhammer, Florian; Sainz de la Maza, Susana; Alvarez-Cermeño, José C; Izquierdo, Guillermo; Paramo, Dolores; Oliva, Pedro; Casanova, Bonaventura; Agüera-Morales, Eduardo; Franciotta, Diego; Gastaldi, Matteo; Fernández, Oscar; Urbaneja, Patricia; Garcia-Dominguez, José M; Romero, Fernando; Laroni, Alice; Uccelli, Antonio; Perez-Sempere, Angel; Saiz, Albert; Blanco, Yolanda; Galimberti, Daniela; Scarpini, Elio; Espejo, Carmen; Montalban, Xavier; Rasche, Ludwig; Paul, Friedemann; González, Inés; Álvarez, Elena; Ramo, Cristina; Caminero, Ana B; Aladro, Yolanda; Calles, Carmen; Eguía, Pablo; Belenguer-Benavides, Antonio; Ramió-Torrentà, Lluis; Quintana, Ester; Martínez-Rodríguez, José E; Oterino, Agustín; López de Silanes, Carlos; Casanova, Luis I; Landete, Lamberto; Frederiksen, Jette; Bsteh, Gabriel; Mulero, Patricia; Comabella, Manuel; Hernández, Miguel A; Espiño, Mercedes; Prieto, José M; Pérez, Domingo; Otano, María; Padilla, Francisco; García-Merino, Juan A; Navarro, Laura; Muriel, Alfonso; Frossard, Lucienne Costa; Villar, Luisa MToboso, Inmaculada; Tejeda-Velarde, Amalia; Alvarez-Lafuente, Roberto; Arroyo, Rafael; Hegen, Harald; Deisenhammer, Florian; Sainz de la Maza, Susana; Alvarez-Cermeño, José C; Izquierdo, Guillermo; Paramo, Dolores; Oliva, Pedro; Casanova, Bonaventura; Agüera-Morales, Eduardo; Franciotta, Diego; Gastaldi, Matteo; Fernández, Oscar; Urbaneja, Patricia; Garcia-Dominguez, José M; Romero, Fernando; Laroni, Alice; Uccelli, Antonio; Perez-Sempere, Angel; Saiz, Albert; Blanco, Yolanda; Galimberti, Daniela; Scarpini, Elio; Espejo, Carmen; Montalban, Xavier; Rasche, Ludwig; Paul, Friedemann; González, Inés; Álvarez, Elena; Ramo, Cristina; Caminero, Ana B; Aladro, Yolanda; Calles, Carmen; Eguía, Pablo; Belenguer-Benavides, Antonio; Ramió-Torrentà, Lluis; Quintana, Ester; Martínez-Rodríguez, José E; Oterino, Agustín; López de Silanes, Carlos; Casanova, Luis I; Landete, Lamberto; Frederiksen, Jette; Bsteh, Gabriel; Mulero, Patricia; Comabella, Manuel; Hernández, Miguel A; Espiño, Mercedes; Prieto, José M; Pérez, Domingo; Otano, María; Padilla, Francisco; García-Merino, Juan A; Navarro, Laura; Muriel, Alfonso; Frossard, Lucienne Costa; Villar, Luisa

New Algorithms Improving PML Risk Stratification in MS Patients Treated With Natalizumab

Overview: We assessed the role of age and disease activity as new factors contributing to establish the risk of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy in multiple sclerosis patients treated with natalizumab in 36 University Hospitals in Europe. We performed the study in 1,307 multiple sclerosis patients (70.8% anti-John Cunninghan virus positive antibodies) treated with natalizumab for a median time of 3.28 years. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory variables were collected. Lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal band status was available in 277 patients. Factors associated with progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy onset were explored by uni- and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Thirty-five patients developed progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy. The multivariate analysis identified anti-John Cunninghan virus antibody indices and relapse rate as the best predictors for the onset of this serious opportunistic infection in the whole cohort. They allowed to stratify progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy risk before natalizumab initiation in individual patients [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.85]. The risk ranged from 0.5, to 1/50 in the opposite case. In patients with lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal bands assessment, age at natalizumab onset, anti-John Cunninghan virus antibody indices, and lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal band status predicted progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy risk (AUC = 0.92). The absence of lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal bands was the best individual predictor (OR = 40.94). The individual risk ranged from <1/10,000 in patients younger than 45 years at natalizumab initiation, who showed anti John Cunningham virus antibody indices <0.9 and lipid-specific IgM oligoclonal bands to 1/33 in the opposite case. Conclusions: In a perspective of personalized medicine, disease activity, anti-lipid specific IgM oligoclonal bands, anti Jonh Cunninghan virus antibody levels, and age can help tailor natalizumab therapy in multiple sclerosis patients, as predictors of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopath

EUSO-SPB1 mission and science

International audienceThe Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super Pressure Balloon 1 (EUSO-SPB1) was launched in 2017 April from Wanaka, New Zealand. The plan of this mission of opportunity on a NASA super pressure balloon test flight was to circle the southern hemisphere. The primary scientific goal was to make the first observations of ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray extensive air showers (EASs) by looking down on the atmosphere with an ultraviolet (UV) fluorescence telescope from suborbital altitude (33 km). After 12 days and 4 h aloft, the flight was terminated prematurely in the Pacific Ocean. Before the flight, the instrument was tested extensively in the West Desert of Utah, USA, with UV point sources and lasers. The test results indicated that the instrument had sensitivity to EASs of ⪆3 EeV. Simulations of the telescope system, telescope on time, and realized flight trajectory predicted an observation of about 1 event assuming clear sky conditions. The effects of high clouds were estimated to reduce this value by approximately a factor of 2. A manual search and a machine-learning-based search did not find any EAS signals in these data. Here we review the EUSO-SPB1 instrument and flight and the EAS search

Evolution over Time of Ventilatory Management and Outcome of Patients with Neurologic Disease∗

OBJECTIVES: To describe the changes in ventilator management over time in patients with neurologic disease at ICU admission and to estimate factors associated with 28-day hospital mortality. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of three prospective, observational, multicenter studies. SETTING: Cohort studies conducted in 2004, 2010, and 2016. PATIENTS: Adult patients who received mechanical ventilation for more than 12 hours. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among the 20,929 patients enrolled, we included 4,152 (20%) mechanically ventilated patients due to different neurologic diseases. Hemorrhagic stroke and brain trauma were the most common pathologies associated with the need for mechanical ventilation. Although volume-cycled ventilation remained the preferred ventilation mode, there was a significant (p &lt; 0.001) increment in the use of pressure support ventilation. The proportion of patients receiving a protective lung ventilation strategy was increased over time: 47% in 2004, 63% in 2010, and 65% in 2016 (p &lt; 0.001), as well as the duration of protective ventilation strategies: 406 days per 1,000 mechanical ventilation days in 2004, 523 days per 1,000 mechanical ventilation days in 2010, and 585 days per 1,000 mechanical ventilation days in 2016 (p &lt; 0.001). There were no differences in the length of stay in the ICU, mortality in the ICU, and mortality in hospital from 2004 to 2016. Independent risk factors for 28-day mortality were age greater than 75 years, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II greater than 50, the occurrence of organ dysfunction within first 48 hours after brain injury, and specific neurologic diseases such as hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, and brain trauma. CONCLUSIONS: More lung-protective ventilatory strategies have been implemented over years in neurologic patients with no effect on pulmonary complications or on survival. We found several prognostic factors on mortality such as advanced age, the severity of the disease, organ dysfunctions, and the etiology of neurologic disease