The following topics are being addressed by the RF Engineering and Propagation Group in 2002:
Rough surface scattering Whitman, NJIT
Continue research on the development of a new full wave theory of scattering from a rough dielectric boundary surface between free space and a dielectric half space.
Propagation in Vegetation
Whitman, NJIT
Continue research on the development of new theories for collimated and diverging beam-wave scattering and propagation in vegetation based on transport theory. Note that although numerical results for the collimated beam -wave were obtained for large incident beamwidths, additional theoretical and numerical work remains to be done for the case of small incident beamwidths: this is needed so as to fully understand the effect of scattering outside the incident beamwidth in the forest.
Dielectric Antenna
Whitman, NJIT
Continue research work on the dielectric wedge antenna to include the effects of the tip.
Microwave Photonic Band Gap Structures
Niver, NJIT
Novel structures consisting of surface wave excited evanescent mode resonators that have been developed in this project will be used to design higher order filters. Surface wave will also be excited in thin ferroelectric slabs for further miniaturization at lower frequencies. Tunability of such filters in ferroelectric structures as well as loaded with varactor diodes will be explored.
Numerical simulations using High Frequency Stucture Simulator (HFSS) code will be carried out at NJIT, Solid Free Forming (SFF) and pulsed laser deposition of ferroelectric films will be carried out by collaborators from Rutgers University (Prof. A. Safari and Dr. K. Akdogan), Dr. Richard Snyder of RS Microwave, Inc. is also collaborating in this area. Patent application will be pursued by NJIT in this area. Conference paper has already been accepted to 2002 International Microwave Symposium in Seattle, WA in June 2002. Paper is under preparation to be submitted to IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.
Left-Handed medium and related devices
Niver, NJIT
Microwave and optic medium with effective negative electric permittivity and negative magnetic permeability have been suggested in late 1960’s but physical implementation was possible only in early 2000. Tunability of left handed media will be continued. In addition, new concepts to reduce losses will be developed. Professors Anvar Zakhidov and Ray Baughman of University of Texas at Dallas are collaborating in this effort. Two conference papers are accepted for presentation at AMRI/DARPA Meeting in New Orleans in February 2002, and PIERS Symposium in Boston in June 2002.
Wide Band Time Domain Inverse Scattering
Niver, NJIT
Inverse scattering problem from plastic mines using surface impedance concept will be combined with hardware based on wide band time domain radar technology. Previously developed waveguide based system will be redesigned in stripline technology with further miniaturization suitable for installation on a mobile robot. Professor Ibrahim Akduman of Istanbul Technical University is collaborating in this project.