UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN –

RF AND MICROWAVE RESEARCH

GROUP
INTRODUCTION:

It is evident that wireless communications will play a major role in the future
evolution of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) based products and
services. Over the time frame 2010-2020, it is possible to envision advanced mobile or
nomadic terminals, themselves highly reconfigurable, interacting with reconfigurable
network infrastructures, communicating with data rates of the order of 100Mbps – 1Gbps,
and exploiting frequency spectrum perhaps up to 100GHz. There are enormous research
challenges to be overcome in achieving this exciting vision.

RF & Microwave Laboratory

The central focus of the RF and Microwave Research Group is the development of computer-
Aided Design (CAD) models and software tools for high frequency non-linear circuits and
systems, and the validation of these tools by checking their predictions against experimental
measurements.

ABOUT THE GROUP: Led by Prof. Thomas J. Brazil, UCD's RF & Microwave
Research Group has almost 30 years experience in advanced device modelling, high
frequency simulation algorithms, behavioural modelling, and power amplifier design. It is
well-known in Europe and the USA as a centre of excellence in microwave CAD research.
Current research themes include physical/equivalent-circuit modelling of
MOSFET/MESFET, nonlinear noise analysis, Volterra series based behavioural modelling of
RF/microwave systems and broadband power amplifier linearisation using digital pre-
distortion. Research on time-domain/frequency-domain discrete convolution techniques and
neural networks, as well as non-linear CMOS device modelling is also being carried out.

This work is supported by an extensive Agilent E8361A PNA-based test and measurement
capability up to 110GHz, including E5270A parametric measurement solution, E4438C
programmable signal source and E4406A VSA, E4445A PSA vector signal analyzers, as well
as full software infrastructure (ADS, Matlab etc).

This group has received a major Investigator Research Award (over 1 million Euros) from
Science Foundation Ireland to support its research programme over the next 4 years. It was
also funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Advanced Technology Research Programme.
UCD was a leading partner in the EU FP6 Network of Excellence "TARGET" in microwave
CAD.

PROJECTS:

The main focus of the RF and Microwave Research Group is to address a selected set of core
basic research problems underpinning future progress in high frequency/high-speed design,
as follows:

1.New Approaches to High-Frequency Non-linear Active Semiconductor Device

Modelling

2.Discrete-time Volterra Series Analysis for Non-linear High Frequency Systems

3.Non-linear Equivalent Circuit Modelling and Characterisation of High Frequency

Transistors

4.RF Power Amplifier Linearisation Techniques for Broadband Wireless

Communication Systems

5.Time-Domain/Frequency-Domain Simulation Algorithms and Model Reduction

Techniques

FACILITIES:
Software

Multiple seats of Agilent ADS.

AWR Microwave Office, Visual System Simulator (VSS).

MATLAB/SIMULINK, Microsoft Visual C++ etc.

APLAC full version.

Agilent Vee Pro for instrument control.

LPKF 32: Circuit Cam 3.2 & Board Master 3.

In-house parameter extraction software for PHEMTs, MESFETs, MOSFETs, BJTs
and HBTs.

Focus Microwave WinPower & WinNoise.

Xilinx ISE, ChipScope Pro, ModelSim XE III.

Hardware

Agilent E8361A Performance Network Analyser PNA (110GHz) with all options.

Agilent E5270A Parametric Measurement Solution.

HP8510C Vector Network Analyser (40GHz), HP8516A S-Parameter test set,

HP83620A Series Synthesised Sweeper and HP4142B Modular DC
source/monitor.

Cascade Microtech Summit 9000 Analytical Probe Station with GSG-100/125/200-

P wafer probes.

Agilent E4438C ESG Vector Signal Generator with options 506, UNJ, 002, 005,
400 and 403.

Agilent E4406A VSA Series Transmitter tester with WCDMA personality.

Focus Microwave 1808 CCM load-pull system to 18GHz.

ICM and Argumens test fixtures for packaged devices.

LPKF C60 computer-controlled microstrip milling station.

HP54120B Digitising Oscillator Mainframe with HP54123A four channel test set.

HP 11713A programmable attenuator with HP8494H and HP8496H attenuators.

Agilent 82357A USB/GPIB Interface and Agilent 82350B PCI GPIB interface card.

Agilent E4417A Dual Channel Power Meter.

HP8565E 50GHz spectrum analyser.

Rhode and Schwarz SMIQ 02 programmable signal generator (W-CDMA etc).

HP8970B and HP8971B noise figure measurement to 18GHz.

Various scalar analysers, high-speed oscilloscopes, mm-wave sources etc.

Address:
RF and Microwave Research Group
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering,
University College Dublin,
Belfield, Dublin 4,
Ireland.