Design of Microwave and RF Circuits

This line of research involves the development of microwave circuitry, including oscillators, receivers, filters, phase shifters, antennas, resonators, sensors in both planar (microstrip, coplanar, etc.) and waveguide technologies.

With state-of-the-art fabrication technologies, we can manufacture our designs, ensuring that every component meets the highest standards of quality and performance. This advanced manufacturing capability allows us to produce reliable microwave circuits, facilitating rapid prototyping and iterative development.

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Microwave Measurement Techniques

This line conducts both theoretical and experimental research to develop precise metrology techniques and measurement devices, particularly in the field of microwave and RF (radiofrequency).

Our measurement services encompass power, noise, impedance, dielectric and magnetic material properties, and other fundamental quantities. We also tailor specific devices and methodologies for dielectric measurements to suit the material’s specific microwave frequency requirements.

This line also includes both basic R&D and applied research in the field of Microwave and Millimeter Wave Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation  (microwave sensors).

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Microwave Heating and Processing

This research line investigates the application of microwave heating as an emerging, innovative, property-improving, energy-conserving, eco-friendly, and time-saving technology applied across numerous fields, including materials processing, drying, curing and thermochemical reactions.

Microwave processing has shown clear advantages over conventional heating in many industrial processes and over an extensive variety of materials such as ceramics, composites and metals. Because electromagnetic energy interacts differently depending on material’s properties or composition, microwave technology has the potential to develop entirely new or enhanced manufactured products through internal selective heating as well as new approaches and processes for producing such materials.

“The ultrafast microwave interaction with materials can create new reaction pathways and processes not possible using other heating methods”

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MW-DETA

Microwave Dielectric and Thermal Measurements (MW-DETA) as a function of temperature

MW-DETA is an innovative device and methodology engineered to measure the temperature-dependent variations of dielectric properties of materials at microwave frequencies with the simultaneous application of microwave irradiation.

The MW-DETA is designed in an 105dx85h mm dual-mode cylindrical cavity reactor, featuring two non-interfering, distinct swept-frequency microwave sources. The TE111 mode near 2.45 GHz is used to heat an approximate 15x10mm sample with high-power microwaves, while the TM010 mode around 2.1 GHz measures dielectric properties as a function of temperature.

Dielectric properties of materials as a function of temperature are calculated by an improved cavity perturbation method from the changes in resonant frequency and quality factor in the microwave cavity during heating. Accuracy of complex permittivity results has been evaluated with an error lower than 5% with respect to a rigorous analysis of the cavity.

The functionality of the microwave dielectric measurement system has been demonstrated by heating and measuring hundreds of samples of materials to more than 1000ºC.

The correlation of the complex permittivity with the heating rate, temperature, absorbed power and other processing parameters can help to better understand the interactions that take place during microwave heating of materials at high temperatures compared to conventional heating.

The cavity also incorporates access holes for introducing the material sample within a quartz tube, sample inspection via a video camera and enabling temperature measurements using an infrared pyrometer.

The specific methodology employed to determine dielectric properties is reported in the publication [Catalá-Civera 2015].

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