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2007-2008 Seminar Series in Electrical Engineering
Millimeter Wave Photonics: From Materials, Devices, and Integration to Systems and Applications
All natural objects whose temperatures are above absolute zero emit passive millimeter-wave radiation.
Millimeter-waves are much more effective (lower attenuation) than infrared in poor weather conditions such as fog, clouds, snow, dust-storms and rain.
Images produced by passive millimeter-waves have natural appearances.
Electromagnetic radiation transmission windows occur at 35 GHz, 94 GHz, 140 GHz, and 220 GHz. Choice of frequency is limited by available technology, but ideally it would depend on a given application.
Millimeter-waves provide broad detection capability of threats not detectable with current technology, due to their unique ability to penetrate obscurants.
Able to detect weapons and contraband (both metallic and non-metallic) concealed beneath clothing.
Unique spectral signatures exist in this region for certain ChemBio agents.
Millimeter-waves are non-invasive, non-ionizing radiation and pose no health risk to people being screened. In fact, people are themselves a source of mmWs!
However, while the opportunity for mmWs is vast, there remains a significant gap in technology necessary to realize it. This gap arises due to the inherent difficulty in realizing all-electronic device technologies that operate over the full range of frequencies that comprise the mmW region. However, recent progress in our group has shown that photonic devices can operate effectively in the mmW region and, in the context of this talk we will present our work in the area of novel mmW-photonic back-planes that enable complete capabilities for communications, spectral sensing, and distributed imaging, over the entire mmW band. Our approach is unique in using efficient electro-optic modulators to up-convert wide-band mmW communication signals and spectral signatures to optical frequencies, encoding their information onto optical carrier sidebands for efficient detection and post-processing using smaller, lighter photonic devices. Key to realizing this capability is the development of the underlying materials, devices, RF integration, and systems; which will be presented.
Spring 2008 (Physical and Wave Electronics Area)
Dennis W. Prather
University of Delaware
Monday, May 5, 2008 at 1:00PM
54-134 Engineering IV Building
Refreshments Served
Abstract:
In this talk we present our work in the area of millimeter wave (mmW) photonics, which is driven by the vast opportunity and, concomitant, lack of available technology in this frequency range. To this end, mmWs are electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths in the range 10mm to 1mm with corresponding frequencies of 30 to 300 GHz, located between the microwave and infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. There are numerous advantages to millimeter waves including:
Biography: Not available.
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