Project Info

Automation and Integration of Microwave Network and Spectrum Analyzer Measurements

The ubiquity of wireless devices and networks has led to a growing density of wireless radio frequency (RF) devices in the past decade and consequently resulted in a significant growth of the RF industry. Characterization of the performances of these RF devices is critical and requires high-frequency measurements which are fundamentally different than low-frequency electronics. RF engineers with strong measurement skills are high in demand. Moreover, with the growing increase in number and functionality of these devices, without an automated platform, these microwave measurements will be extremely time consuming and subject to high measurement errors. The primary objective of this research is to develop communication and control software for microwave spectrum and network analysis measurements. Automation of these measurement systems will enable centralized control of multiple measurement tools and significantly improve the accuracy of measurements.

The faculty has been exploring these ideas for a couple of years but has not previously dedicated students to working solely in this area. This project is a new effort in the Microwave & RF Laboratory (BB 307) at the EE department. The project is expected to have a strong impact in EE department and the entire campus, since this would be the first automated microwave measurement system at Mines.

For more information:
Robert A. Witte, Spectrum and Network Measurements, 2nd Edition, SciTech, 2014.
David M. Pozar, Microwave Engineering, 4th Edition, Wiley, 2013.

The faculty will also arrange Zoom meetings to discuss details with interested students.

Grand Challenge: Engineer the tools of scientific discovery

Student Preparation

Qualifications

Intermediate level programming skills in Matlab and C. Familiarity with LabVIEW and basic RF background would be beneficial but not required.

Student is required to attend the basic lab safety training offered by Environmental Health and Safety at Mines.

Time Commitment

At a minimum, an average of ~4hr/wk would be required to make meaningful progress, but the progress and opportunities would increase non-linearly with additional effort.

Skills/Techniques Gained

The student will learn the basics of RF and microwave systems and measurements. More specifically the student will learn how vector network analysis and spectrum analysis is conducted and gain a hands-on experience of using these measurement equipment for passive and active microwave device tests. The student will also learn how to develop control programs for measurement equipment using a variety of commercial software.

Mentoring Plan

The faculty will do the majority of technical planning/discussions/analysis with the MURF student. The student will meet with the faculty once a week to discuss the progress and receive help and support with regards to any difficulties in accomplishing the tasks. PhD students will also help with in-lab training.