SC07: Understanding Complex Media for Antenna and Propagation Applications
Michael Havrilla
Air Force Institute of Technology, Ohio, United States of America
Dr. Michael J. Havrilla is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Dr. Havrilla’s teaching and research interests are in the areas of electromagnetic theory, measurement and applications of anisotropic and bianisotropic media, guided wave and antenna applications and low observable technology. Dr. Havrilla has advised and mentored over 50 graduate students and has published over 150 journal and conference papers. Prior to AFIT, Dr. Havrilla worked in industry for 6 years at General Electric Aircraft Engines, Evendale, Ohio and Lockheed Skunk Works, Palmdale, California. His academic and industrial background has allowed him to bring hands-on education into the classroom and help guide students into areas of applied research that is relevant to the Air Force and measurement community. Dr Havrilla received B.S. degrees in Physics and Mathematics in 1987, the M.S.E.E degree in 1989 and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in 2001 from Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. He is a member of URSI Commission B, a senior member of the IEEE, and a member of the Eta Kappa Nu and Sigma Xi honour societies.
Peter Collins
Air Force Institute of Technology, Ohio, United States of America
Dr. Peter J. Collins is a Professor of Electrical Engineering with the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Dr. Collins’ research interests are in the areas of low observables, electromagnetic materials design, and remote sensing along with the underlying foundational disciplines of electromagnetic theory, computational electromagnetics, and signature metrology. During his time at AFIT, Dr. Collins has advised over 40 graduate students and published over 90 journal and conference papers. Prior to AFIT, Dr. Collins completed a 20 year active duty career in the United States Air Force serving in a variety of assignments primarily in the technology development, test, and acquisition areas. His technical leadership impacted many organizations from the laboratories to the pentagon where he last served as Chief Scientist, Office of Research. Dr. Collins received the B.A. degree from Bethel College, MN and the B.S.E.E. degree from the University of Minnesota, both in 1985, the M.S.E.E. and Ph.D. degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology, OH in 1990 and 1996 respectively. He is a senior member of the IEEE, a senior member and the 2015 president of the AMTA, and a member of the Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi honor societies.
Abstract
Additive/subtractive manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing) has revolutionized the ability to rapidly fabricate antennas, waveguiding structures and complex media having exotic (e.g., bianisotropic, hyperbolic, etc.) properties. In the last year, for example, there have been sessions entirely dedicated to additive/subtractive manufacturing of complex media, antennas and guiding structures (e.g., EuCAP 2015 and APS-URSI 2015). It is expected this trend will continue to be vibrant for decades. This short course will provide an important and timely opportunity to help educate the research community on how complex media can be designed, fabricated, analyzed and utilized in antenna and propagation applications. Additionally, complex media gets no, or very little, treatment in typical academic curricula. This short course aims to help fill this important gap in the understanding of complex media, especially for antenna and propagation applications.
Course outline
The planned structure will consist of two lectures of 90 minutes each with a 30 minute break between lectures. The lecture notes will contain the content listed below, including illustrative examples that demonstrate all the concepts developed throughout the short course:
- Introduction, Motivation and Relevance of Complex Media
- Introduction of simple and complex (e.g., biisotropic, anisotropic and bianisotropic) media
- Motivation for understanding complex media
- Relevant role of additive/subtractive manufacturing on complex media and antenna/propagation applications
- Fundamental Concepts of Complex Media
- Critical role that symmetry has on the electromagnetic tensor properties of complex media
- How material property tensor form influences choice of measurement and applications
- Complex Media Fabrication and Prediction Tools
- Additive/Subtractive manufacturing techniques
- Methods for predicting electromagnetic material tensor property values
- Examples of complex media in antenna and propagation applications
- Methods for Analyzing Complex Media in Antenna and Propagation Environments
- Computational electromagnetic tools and their advantages/limitations
- Electromagnetic field and scalar potential based methods
- Example analysis of complex media in various background environments
- Material Characterization of Complex Media
- Common measurement fixtures and systems
- Computational electromagnetic modelling of material characterization systems for measurement uncertainty estimation and mitigation
- Material characterization examples bringing together all components of the short course
- Conclusions and Future Challenges
- Concluding remarks
- Future challenges of utilizing complex media in antenna and propagation applications