Research
The Antennas & Electromagnetics research group has a strong team of academics and researchers working on various areas related to antenna engineering, bio-electromagnetic, novel materials for enhanced performance, antenna and electromagnetics (EM) theory and metrology concepts. The group has established excellent collaborations and links with many academic and industrial partners working locally and globally, specifically in antennas and EM problems, but also ranging to problems for wireless communications and medical applications. Interdisciplinary research interfacing with life sciences, social sciences and medicine is at the heart of our current research activities and clearly shapes our grant portfolio.
- Our research on antennas for mobile communications includes multiband antennas, multiple antennas for MIMO applications, ultra wideband (UWB) antennas, semi-smart base station antennas, and antennas and radio propagation for body-centric wireless communications.
- In the area of metamaterials and transformation optics, we study computational electromagnetic models for both active and passive structures. We are studying new nano-materials, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes, that offer possible advances in antennas and metamaterials. We are developing software techniques to exploit the concepts of Transformation Electromagnetics, offering such novel devices as flat multi-reflector antennas and cloaking devices.
- Our research on Terahertz Spectroscopy aims to help scientists visualize structures, such as proteins, and actively enhance chemical reactions. Also, a new area of THz spectroscopy for space exploration has been added to our reseqarch portfolio
- In the area of antennas and healthcare, we study the interaction of electromagnetic waves with biological tissue, dosimetry, wireless implants and RF sensors (for example, in blood glucose monitoring) as well as novel techiniques in precise drug delivery using RF energy.
- In the area of antenna metrology we work on near-field measurement, millimetre-wave imaging for security and compact antenna test range development.
- A novel area of research in power electronics and battery control technology for Green Energy has been recently introduced
- In the area of additive manufacturing we explore digital manufacturing of antennas via 3D printing
- 5G wireless communications
- In the area of steering techniques for antenna arrays for modern communication systems, our researchers investigate effects of controlling radiation patterns of antennas using liquid metals and optically controlled organic semiconductors
Our current research activities are interdisciplinary and adventurous with high impact academically, commercially and socially, within the local community and globally.
Our current research themes include:
Research into microwave and millimetre-wave antenna metrology
By exposing certain chemical materials to high intensity THz radiation we hope to influence the design and synthesis of such materials, thereby enhancing the synthetic chemist’s toolkit.
Motion capture is being studied in many areas such as animation, health care, sport science, robotic tele-operation and human computer interaction.
Work includes but not limited to: Dosimetry and development of full body SAR model for handset antennas.
The development of wearable computer systems has been growing rapidly. These are becoming smaller and more lightweight; no one wants to wear a bulky and heavy computer all day!
Research into Difital/Additive Manufacturing of Antennas
Research into Electromagnetic Complatibility
Our work covers a very broad range of research topics in metamaterials, including electromagnetic bandgap structures, high impedance surfaces and partially reflective surfaces.
Research for Reliability Monitoring of EV power electronics, and multi-agent control of microgrids
Research into microwave and millimetre-wave power devices
Since the late 1980s, the Group has built up a considerable reputation for work in millimetre-wave antennas, both in measurements and theory. This has been extended into the Terahertz region of the spectrum in recent years.
Radio Frequency (RF) communications have existed for centuries, and the frequency spectrum for these communications is an increasingly congested resource, particularly below 30GHz.
Research into THz spectroscopy for space exploration
Research into microwave and millimetre-wave antenna metrology
