Personal tools
 

Antenna Technology and Microelectronics

Oslo_Norway_092720A
[Oslo, Norway]
  

- Overview

Antenna technology and microelectronics are inextricably linked, forming a powerful combination that is driving innovation in wireless communication, sensing, and a multitude of other applications. Antenna technology plays a key role in enabling next-generation sensing and communications. 

Advances in microelectronics, like high-frequency wireless chips, allow for the creation of sophisticated antenna systems with improved capabilities, while antenna technology provides the necessary infrastructure for transmitting and receiving data. 

This collaboration enables innovations in areas like sensing, security, and data processing, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in electronics.

  • Antenna Technology as a Foundation: Antennas are essential for converting electrical signals into electromagnetic waves and vice versa, enabling the transmission and reception of data over long distances. They are a fundamental component of any wireless communication system. 
  • Microelectronics Enabling Innovation: Microelectronics, particularly radio frequency (RF) microelectronics, provide the power and intelligence needed to create advanced antenna systems. These advancements, coupled with high-volume manufacturing, enable the creation of complex and highly performant antennas. 

 

Examples of Synergistic Innovation:

  • Antenna Arrays: Sophisticated antenna arrays, combined with high-frequency wireless chips, can be used for tasks like sensing through matter, improving communication in urban environments, and enabling wireless medical labs. 
  • Smart Antennas: Smart antennas, or adaptive array antennas, utilize signal processing algorithms to identify the direction of incoming signals and optimize beamforming for enhanced communication and sensing capabilities.
  • Metamaterials: Metamaterials, which are artificially engineered materials with unique properties, are being explored in antenna design to create smaller, more efficient, and flexible antennas.

Applications Across Diverse Fields: 
The combination of antenna and microelectronics is driving innovation in a wide range of fields, including: 
  • Mobile Communication: 5G and beyond mobile wireless technologies heavily rely on advancements in antenna design and microelectronics for higher speeds and capacity.
  • Sensing and Imaging: Antenna arrays can be used for sensing, imaging, and even "peering through matter" applications, enabling new possibilities in medical imaging, autonomous vehicles, and other areas.
  • Security: Electromagnetic waves can be used for encryption and secure data transmission, replacing traditional software-based encryption.
  • Wireless Connectivity: Advances in microelectronics and antenna technology are essential for enabling seamless and reliable wireless connectivity in consumer electronics, IoT devices, and smart homes.

 

- Antennas

An antenna is a transformer that transforms a guided wave propagating through a transmission line into an electromagnetic wave propagating in an unbounded medium (usually free space), or vice versa. A component in radio equipment that transmits or receives electromagnetic waves.

Engineering systems such as radio communication, radio, television, radar, navigation, electronic countermeasures, remote sensing, radio astronomy, etc., all use electromagnetic waves to transmit information, all rely on antennas to work.

In addition, when using electromagnetic waves to transmit energy, non-signal energy radiation also requires an antenna. Generally, antennas are reversible, that is, the same antenna can be used as both a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna.

The essential characteristics of the transmit or receive parameters of the same antenna are the same. This is the reciprocity theorem for antennas.

The antenna radiates radio waves and receives radio waves, but what the transmitter enters the antenna through the feeder is not radio waves, and the receiving antenna cannot directly send radio waves to the receiver through the feeder, which must go through the energy conversion process.

At the transmitting end, the modulated high-frequency oscillating current (energy) generated by the transmitter enters the transmitting antenna through the feeder (the feeder can directly transmit current waves or electromagnetic waves depending on the frequency and form), and the transmitting antenna transmits the high-frequency current or guided wave (energy) Converted to radio waves - free electromagnetic waves (energy) radiate into surrounding space.

At the receiving end, radio waves (energy) are turned into high-frequency currents or guided waves (energy) through the receiving antenna and are transmitted to the receiver by the feeder equipment.

The antenna is not only a device for transmitting and receiving radio waves, but also an energy converter, and an interface device between circuits and space.

 

- Radio Antenna

Antenna technology and microelectronics are deeply intertwined, playing crucial roles in enabling modern wireless communication, sensing, and other advanced applications.  

An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric power into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver. In transmission, a radio transmitter supplies an oscillating radio frequency electric current to the antenna's terminals, and the antenna radiates the energy from the current as electromagnetic (radio) waves. In reception, an antenna intercepts some of the power of an electromagnetic wave in order to produce a tiny voltage at its terminals that is applied to a receiver to be amplified.

In radio engineering, an antenna is the interface between radio waves propagating through space and electric currents moving in metal conductors, used with a transmitter or receiver. In transmission, a radio transmitter supplies an electric current to the antenna's terminals, and the antenna radiates the energy from the current as electromagnetic waves (radio waves). In reception, an antenna intercepts some of the power of a radio wave in order to produce an electric current at its terminals, that is applied to a radio receiver to be amplified. Antennas are essential components of all radio equipment. 

An antenna is an array of conductors (elements), electrically connected to the receiver or transmitter. Antennas can be designed to transmit and receive radio waves in all horizontal directions equally (omnidirectional antennas), or preferentially in a particular direction (directional or high gain antennas). An antenna may include parasitic elements, parabolic reflectors or horns, which serve to direct the radio waves into a beam or other desired radiation pattern. 

With regard to antennas, the basic rule of thumb is, the taller (or larger) the antenna is (in most cases), the more decibel (dB) gain it produces. The more dB gain, the better the performance.

 

- Two Major Antenna Categories

 Antennas can be grouped into two major categories:

  • Omni-Directional Antenna – These antennas radiate radio frequency (RF) energy in (more or less) a sphere. This 360-degree coverage from the antenna allows the RF power to be distributed equally in all directions.  This type of antenna is used at locations that need to communicate to multiple other sites such as a master location or repeater location.
  • Directional Antenna – As the name would imply, this type of antenna focuses the RF energy in one direction to both transmit and receive power. A directional antenna can be made in many different types such as parabolic dish, Yagi or corner reflector, but each will increase the signal in a single direction to maximize the energy to and from a single location. This type of antenna is best used at remote, fixed locations.


With a basic understanding of where best to use a specific type of antenna, there are additional terms involved in selecting an antenna for operation:

  

- Distributed Antenna System (DAS)

A distributed antenna system (DAS) is a network of antennas that sends and receives cellular signals on a carrier’s licensed frequencies. It improves voice & data connectivity for end user. A DAS is a network of spatially separated antenna nodes connected to a common source via a transport medium that provides wireless service within a geographic area or structure. 

DAS antenna elevations are generally at or below the clutter level, and node installations are compact. A DAS is a network of antennas, connected to a common source, distributed throughout a building or an area to improve network performance. The spacing between antennas is such that each antenna gives full coverage without overlapping with other antennas, hence reducing the number of antennas needed to cover the whole building.

A DAS is a powerful signal enhancing system using direct feed from respective service carrier(s) to boost wireless signals. It is ideal when signals are too weak outside to use exterior antenna to catch and amplify those signals inside. A DAS may be deployed indoors (an iDAS) or outdoors (an oDAS) and can be used to provide wireless coverage in hotels, subways, airports, hospitals, businesses, roadway tunnels etc. The wireless services typically provided by a DAS include PCS, cellular, Wi-Fi, police, fire, and emergency services. 

 

- Smart Antennas 

Smart antennas (also known as adaptive array antennas, digital antenna arrays, multiple antennas and, recently, MIMO) are antenna arrays with smart signal processing algorithmsused to identify spatial signal signatures such as the direction of arrival (DOA) of the signal, and use them to calculate beamforming vectors which are used to track and locate the antenna beam on the mobile/target. Smart antennas should not be confused with reconfigurable antennas, which have similar capabilities but are single element antennas and not antenna arrays. 

Smart antenna techniques are used notably in acoustic signal processing, track and scan radar, radio astronomy and radio telescopes, and mostly in cellular systems like W-CDMA, UMTS, and LTE. Smart antennas have many functions: DOA estimation, beamforming, interference nulling, and constant modulus preservation.

 

- Antennas and IoT

Antennas play a complex role in the dynamics of the IoT. As IoT ecosystems move to support high-density, low latency networks and continue to incorporate various new features into radios and overall system layouts, there is an even greater premium put on antenna system design. As a result, rather than view antennas as passive products – whether they are external or embedded – our engineers treat them as integral solutions in the creation of IoT applications and the creation of smart environments. 

We are committed to identifying real world situations where the ability to effectively collect data and gather knowledge can lead to developing sustainable IoT solutions. 

 

[More to come ...]


 


Document Actions