Boston Photonics Society Chapter - Seminars

Tuesday
September 28, 2010
6 PM
 

MIT Lincoln Laboratories
 

Terahertz Technology for Space and Earth Applications / Electromagnetic Bandgap Materials

Dr. Peter de Maagt, European Space Agency

Co-sponsored by the IEEE Antennas & Propagation Society

Abstract:  The terahertz (THz) part of the electromagnetic spectrum falls between the lower frequency millimeter wave region and at higher frequencies, the far-infrared region. The frequency range extends from 0.1 THz to 10 THz, where both these limits are rather loose. As the THz region separates the more established domains of microwaves and optics, a typical THz technique will incorporate aspects of both realms, and may even draw on the best of both. The two bounding parts of the spectrum also yield distinct sets of methods of generating and detecting THz waves. These approaches can thus be categorized as having either microwave or optical/photonic origins. As a result of breakthroughs in technology, the THz region is finally finding applications outside its traditional heartlands of remote sensing and radio astronomy. Extensive research has identified many attractive uses and has paved the technological path towards flexible and accessible THz systems. Examples of novel applications include medical and dental imaging, gene theory, communications and detecting the DNA sequence of virus and bacteria. The presentation will discuss the range of THz applications and will present the components and systems that are utilized for the frequency region.

Electromagnetic Bandgap Materials are artificially engineered materials exhibiting novel properties. Since their discovery and first demonstration in the late 1980's, interest in EBGs has grown explosively. The potential take-up of these structures in Communications and Sensing Systems is primarily due to the control of the frequencies and wavenumbers of propagating and non-propagating electromagnetic waves to an extent that was not previously possible. Much effort is now being concentrated on the design and manufacture of these different classes of EBG-based components. This presentation will highlight application areas of EBG technology at microwave and (sub) millimeter wave. It sets out with a brief introduction of the concepts. It then discusses some generic configurations and resulting practical applications. Examples of FSS, EBG and AMC generic technology in the microwave region include: patch antennas, cavity antennas, parabolic antennas, metallo-dielectric antennas, waveguides, filters and tunable structures. Examples of applications are array antennas, high precision GPS, mobile telephony, wearable antennas and diplexing antennas. In the submillimeter wave region a 500 GHz dipole configuration is shown and some components.

Biography:  Peter de Maagt was born in Pauluspolder, The Netherlands, in 1964. He received the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, in 1988 and 1992, respectively, both in electrical engineering. In the period 1992/1993 he was station manager and scientist for an INTELSAT propagation project in Surabaya, Indonesia. He is currently with the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands. His research interests are in the area of millimeter and submillimeter-wave reflector and planar integrated antennas, quasioptics, electromagnetic bandgap antennas, and millimeter- and submillimeter-wave components. Dr. de Maagt was co-recipient of the H.A. Wheeler Award of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society for the best applications paper of 2001. He was granted a European Space Agency Award for innovation in 2002. He was co-recipient of the LAPC 2006 best paper award. Dr. de Maagt serves as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transaction on Antennas and Propagation.

This meeting begins at 6:00 PM Tuesday, Sept 28th, 2010 and will be located in the cafeteria at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, 244 Wood Street, Lexington, MA 02420.  The meeting is free and open to the public.  All are welcome.  For more information: contact Reuel Swint, Chair, IPS Boston Chapter chair at swint@ieee.org, or visit the Boston IEEE Photonics website at www.bostonphotonics.org.

Location:  MIT Lincoln Laboratories
 

Directions:  
244 Wood Street

Lexington, MA 02420

Directions to MIT Lincoln Laboratory: (from interstate I-95/Route 128)

From Exit 31B

Take Exit 31B onto Routes 4/225 towards Bedford - Stay in right lane

Use Right Turning Lane (0.3 mile from exit) to access Hartwell Ave. at 1st Traffic Light.

Follow Hartwell Ave. to Wood St. (~1.3 miles).

Turn Left on to Wood Street and Drive for 0.3 of a mile.

Turn Right into MIT Lincoln Lab, at the Wood Street Gate.

From Exit 30B

Take Exit 30B on to Route 2A - Stay in right lane.

Turn Right on to Mass. Ave (~ 0.4 miles - opposite Minuteman Tech.).

Follow Mass. Ave for ~ 0.4 miles.

Turn Left on to Wood Street and Drive for 1.0 mile.

Turn Left into MIT Lincoln Lab, at the Wood Street Gate.

To get to the Cafeteria, proceed toward the Main Entrance of Lincoln Laboratory.  Before entering the building, proceed down the stairs located to the left of the Main Entrance.  Turn right at the bottom of the stairs and enter the building through the Cafeteria entrance.  The Cafeteria is located directly ahead.