Nonlinear metamaterials for terahertz applications

Program Code: 1643

Objectives:

Planar antenna structures are well suited to portable communications devices due to their small size, low cost and ease of integration with associated electronics. The design of these antennas generally requires use of full-wave electromagnetic simulators to include the effects of the conducting and dielectric environment surrounding the radiator. Unfortunately accurate full-wave simulations can be computationally expensive, thereby making the design process that necessarily requires multiple simulations a costly process. This project will investigate the application of evolutionary computation (EC) methods to planar antenna design, with a view to supplementing the electromagnetic simulations with optimisation based modelling of the antenna's structure and performance, such that fewer full-wave simulations need to be used. This will require tight coupling of the optimiser and electromagnetic simulator to minimise the computational cost in arriving at the optimum antenna design.

Expected Background knowledge and skills:

Good theoretical understanding of electromagnetic and antenna engineering.

Good programming skills and experience with one or more computational tools (Matlab, C, Fortran, etc).

Experience with commercial circuit and full wave simulation tools desirable.

Description of work:

Determine the applicability and limitations of EC methods to planar antenna design.

Develop methods of integrating full-wave electromagnetic simulators with the EC optimisers to minimise the overall computation cost.

Use this approach to devise new antennas with superior performance characteristics.

Design, fabricate and characterise selected antennas to demonstrate the methods developed in this project.

Contact:

Dr Greg Milford g.milford@adfa.edu.au