Task 4 - Development of customized RF front-end systems

KEYSIGHT , supervisor Dr. F, Kienberger, ESR. A. Moradpour.

JKU , supervisor Prof. P. Hinterdorfer.

Based on a Keysight internal pre-commercial digital network analyser, this Task is devoted to further developments of the microwave measurement system in terms of software application specific interfaces and additional hardware adaptations that will facilitate the integration of the technology into various imaging solutions. The size of the new hardware developed in this Task is expected to be very small to facilitate its integration including many antennas and microwave switching matrices. The developed novel measurement platform will be evaluated in terms of speed of measurement, dynamic range, sensitivity and noise level. The realized small form-factor digital network analyser will be integrated in devices in WP4-WP5. JKU will host the PhD training of ESR4.    

Objectives:

  • Based on a Keysight internal pre-commercial digital network analyzer, further developments of the measurement system in terms of software application specific interfaces and additional hardware adaptations which will facilitate the integration into various imaging solutions (the size of the new hardware is expected to be very small and to facilitate the integration including many antennas and microwave switching matrices)
  • Development of a novel platform to reach superior speed of measurement at a large dynamic range; evaluation of sensitivity and noise level
  • Development of a multi-port VNA calibration framework, including the automated Electronic Calibration Module (ECal) system and advanced algorithms for efficient and fast calibration that can be traced to accurate calibration standards
  • Use of Keysight software for circuitry modeling (ADS) and 3-D electromagnetic field solvers to complement the experimental work; modeling results and experiments will be compared for quantitative complex impedance evaluation

Expected Results:

  • A small form-factor digital network analyzer will be established and adapted in terms of hardware and software (Application Programming Interface (API), switching matrices, Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA)) to the brain/breast imaging solutions from other consortium partners (WP4 and WP5)
  • Performance evaluation report on dynamic range, sensitivity, and speed of the new microwave measurement platform and comparison against other state-of-the-art systems.
  • Application of the new digital network analyzer for near-field imaging including calibrated multi-port VNA workflows for complex impedance and permittivity between 1-20 GHz.
  • 3-D EM modeling and 2-D circuitry modeling (using ADS) to complement experimental work