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It is evident that wireless communications will play a major role in the future
evolution of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) based products and
services. Over the time frame 2010-2020, it is possible to envision advanced mobile or
nomadic terminals, themselves highly reconfigurable, interacting with reconfigurable
network infrastructures, communicating with data rates of the order of 100Mbps – 1Gbps,
and exploiting frequency spectrum perhaps up to 100GHz. There are enormous research
challenges to be overcome in achieving this exciting vision.
The central focus of the RF and Microwave Research Group is the development of computer-
Aided Design (CAD) models and software tools for high frequency non-linear circuits and
systems, and the validation of these tools by checking their predictions against experimental
measurements.
ABOUT THE GROUP: Led by Prof. Thomas J. Brazil, UCD's RF & Microwave
Research Group has almost 30 years experience in advanced device modelling, high
frequency simulation algorithms, behavioural modelling, and power amplifier design. It is
well-known in Europe and the USA as a centre of excellence in microwave CAD research.
Current research themes include physical/equivalent-circuit modelling of
MOSFET/MESFET, nonlinear noise analysis, Volterra series based behavioural modelling of
RF/microwave systems and broadband power amplifier linearisation using digital pre-
distortion. Research on time-domain/frequency-domain discrete convolution techniques and
neural networks, as well as non-linear CMOS device modelling is also being carried out.
This work is supported by an extensive Agilent E8361A PNA-based test and measurement
capability up to 110GHz, including E5270A parametric measurement solution, E4438C
programmable signal source and E4406A VSA, E4445A PSA vector signal analyzers, as well
as full software infrastructure (ADS, Matlab etc).
This group has received a major Investigator Research Award (over 1 million Euros) from
Science Foundation Ireland to support its research programme over the next 4 years. It was
also funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Advanced Technology Research Programme.
UCD was a leading partner in the EU FP6 Network of Excellence "TARGET" in microwave
CAD.
PROJECTS:
The main focus of the RF and Microwave Research Group is to address a selected set of core
basic research problems underpinning future progress in high frequency/high-speed design,
as follows:
FACILITIES:
Software
Hardware
Agilent E8361A Performance Network Analyser PNA (110GHz) with all options.
Agilent E4438C ESG Vector Signal Generator with options 506, UNJ, 002, 005,
400 and 403.
HP54120B Digitising Oscillator Mainframe with HP54123A four channel test set.
Agilent 82357A USB/GPIB Interface and Agilent 82350B PCI GPIB interface card.
Address:
RF and Microwave Research Group
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering,
University College Dublin,
Belfield, Dublin 4,
Ireland.