Focus & Special Sessions

This session covers a broad spectrum of cryogenic packaging, interconnect, and system integration technologies and challenges, as well as the design of microwave readout amplifier and control circuits for superconducting and ion-trap quantum computer systems. It starts with the keynote talk on the challenges of engineering quantum computers based on high fidelity superconducting qubits and continues with an overview of existing cryogenic interconnect technologies. The third talk focuses on the state-of-the-art in parametric amplifier design for readout of superconducting qubits. Finally, the last paper introduces a new microwave approach for the control of ion-trap quantum processors.

Microwave design optimization has allowed accelerated progress in diverse industrial sectors, including telecommunications, energy, biomedicine, and high-performance computer platforms. Based on the historical evolution of high-frequency design optimization, in this session we identify future challenges that will be addressed by the next generation of algorithmic optimization approaches. We speculate on future developments for state-of-the-art optimization techniques, including automated feature-engineering-based optimization, optimal structure synthesis by time reversal of specified EM field responses, field-based response sensitivities, confined and dimensionally reduced surrogate-based optimization, cognition-driven space mapping approaches, as well as advanced applications of knowledge-based neuronal and machine learning techniques.

As several quantum systems must operate at cryogenic temperatures, ad-hoc methods and tools are required to test and characterize quantum and electrical devices at such temperatures. The first paper by the University of Colorado addresses the challenges in characterizing superconducting microwave resonators. The following two papers focus on cryogenic noise characterization: a methodology for noise characterization of cryogenic microwave amplifiers proposed by the Fraunhofer Institute, and the high-frequency and noise characterization of cryogenic SiGe HBTs by the University of Toronto, STMicroelectronics, and Ciena. Finally, a 4-K automated on-wafer probing system able to null the ambient magnetic field will be presented by FormFactor and MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

While RF/mm-wave amplifiers are key elements in modern wireless communications and DoD applications, current RF/mm-wave amplifier performance has approached near saturation and current practice in amplifier designs requires a trade-off between output power, linearity, efficiency, and bandwidth. It is due to that current high­speed transistor technologies are limited by the reduced breakdown voltage, pre-mature current collapse, a "10 dB" rule of thumb in linearity/Pdc ratio) and a thermal issue. Mith mm-wave 5G and 6G on the horizon and DoD mm­wave systems, next-generation GaN transistor technologies are emerging rapidly to replace the conventional GaN transistors. This focused session will cover emerging mm-wave GaN transistor technologies and MMICs toward 5G/6G wireless applications and DoD applications.

In the scope of the IMS 2022 Systems Forum, the proposed Focus Session will provide an overview of the world-wide state-of-the-art of radar technology. It will present a wide range of different applications in the military, civil, and dual-use sectors, while also highlighting common features in technology and methods.

This session will focus on new technologies and advances in RF circuits and systems that are expected to play a major role in future communication, radar and sensing applications. The session will include topics/papers highlighting novel circuits such as memristor-based RF electronics, GaN-based RF electronics, silicon-photonic electronics, 3D printed mm-wave packages and interconnects and active incoherent mm-wave imaging systems.

Since its inception over 10 years ago, the field of cognitive radar (CR) has seen steady growth in both its areas of applications. In general terms, CR implements a sophisticated sense-learn-adapt (SLA) action-perception cycle that is significantly beyond what is possible with traditional adaptive radar techniques. Key enablers for CR include advanced machine learning, knowledge-aided processing, high performance embedded computing. This focus session will provide an up-to-the-minute overview of the major research activities in the CR field.

This special session is dedicated to the memory of Professor Tatsuo Itoh. Prof Itoh is a role model for researchers and educators and was a giant pillar of the microwave community. The speakers of this session are the well-known senior members of our community and are outstanding students/scholars or colleagues who have worked with Prof. Itoh for decades. Speakers will also share their golden days and experience working with Tatsuo Itoh, as a great tutor, mentor and his great humility, working habits and enthusiasm. His depth of knowledge and self-effacement were true inspirations for many, and he will remain with us forever and to many generations through his colossal work.

Agenda
15:40-15:50 - Tatsuo Itoh: More than half a Century of Contributions”, Samir Elghazali, 
15:50-16:00 - Coupled Oscillator Arrays”, Gabriel Rebeiz, 
16:00-16:15 - The Spectral Domain Approach (SDA) – A Legacy of Professor Tatsuo Itoh to the Applied Electromagnetics Community”, Ke Wu, 
16:15-16:30 - Fully 3D Printed Monopole Antennas”, Vesna Radisic
16:30-16:45 - Reflections on Professor Itoh and the Quasi-Yagi Antenna”, William Deal
16:45-17:00 - Active Integrated Electrically Small Antennas”, Yuanxun Ethan Wang

Since the past decade phased-array antennas can no longer be ignored in the commercial market. This market reaches from telecommunication to automotive and beyond. Presently, antenna-in-module and antenna-in-package (AiP and AiM) are the most common formfactors. But as the carrier frequency (THz) and modulation bandwidths (multiple GHz) are increasing, antenna-on-chip (AoC) will play an important role, eliminating completely the traditional separation between conductive and antenna design and test. Consequently, system level designers and characterization engineers need to deal properly with conductive, antenna and radiating aspects. System level simulators evolved already including radiation aspects but it is a long way before extracting decent behavioral models that can deal with the vast number of parameters. Anechoic chambers in different sizes are commercially available but are cumbersome, time- and space-consuming for the engineer accustomed to conductive testing. Would it thinkable to come up with a desktop version as a natural extension to a cable, connecting instruments? This session introduces to industrial characterization engineers and system level designers of phased-array antenna systems the newest developments related to fast and compact characterization, even useable for production test and their impact on the improvement of system level simulation.

Reconfigurable RF systems are of vast importance for future communications. Besides the obvious, with such, (i) energy efficiency is expected to be higher and (ii) design complexity is reduced compared to standard fixed RF systems. In addition, such systems offer the possibility to change communication parameters even when the front-end is non-reachable, e.g., as in satellites. Reconfigurability can be implemented in many different flavors. While switching between different sub-systems with dedicated functionality is the straight-forward approach, emerging technologies such as RF-MEMS or functional materials are potential candidates. This focused session is dedicated to different technologies serving upcoming communication systems.