Near-Field Antenna and Metamaterial Characterization Facility

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
What the facility does

Near-field Imaging, Antenna Radiation Pattern Measurement, Microwave Material Characterization, Benchtop Testing

Areas of expertise

All wireless communication – from smartphones to radar to GPS – relies fundamentally on the ability to measure the electromagnetic (EM) fields produced by antennas. The desire to control these EM fields has also spawned a new area of research in metamaterials: new materials exhibiting EM properties never before seen in nature, such as the ability to render objects invisible. The University of Alberta is at the forefront of these exciting new fields thanks to our one-of-a-kind, fully equipped near-field antenna- and metamaterial-characterization facility. This system is built around a state-of-the-art near-field robotic scanner, shielded anechoic chamber, and 43.5GHz vector network analyzer. Together, these components enable precise, automated antenna radiation-pattern measurements from RF/microwave to millimeter-wave frequencies, but they also provide customized capabilities for the observation of novel metamaterial imaging, radiation, and scattering phenomena. Our facility is one of Canada’s most capable and flexible antenna measurement systems and leads antenna and near-field measurement capabilities in Alberta.

Research services

Antenna radiation pattern measurement, Microwave material characterization, Benchtop testing

Sectors of application
  • Aerospace and satellites
  • Automotive
  • Defence and security industries
  • Information and communication technologies and media
  • Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment

Specialized facility 

Equipment

Function

Facility for the Experimental Characterization of Metamaterial Imaging Devices, Radiating Structures, and Scattering Surfaces

Anechoic Chamber
  • Shielded fully anechoic chamber
  • Designed by ETS-Lindgren
  • 16'×12'×11' (L×W×H)
  • 18-inch flexible pyramidal-cone absorbers
  • 900MHz to 40GHz operating range
  • 3'×7' shielded door

 

Near-field Scanner
  • Fully automated planar/cylindrical/spherical near-field scanner up to 40GHz
  • Designed by Nearfield Systems
  • 5'×5' XY-scanning range
  • 5'×360° cylindrical scanning range
  • 180°×360° spherical scanning range
  • Wall-mounted pol-stage for low-frequency spherical near-field testing
  • Z-translation:

◦5' + additional 10" on AUT side

◦4" on probe side

  • 360° probe rotation around Z
  • Fully customizable fixtures on AUT side
  • 8-axis antenna range controllers
  • Wired remote control
  • Fully programmable/scriptable software GUI control of RF equipment, positioners, and processing functions

 

 

Waveguide probes and assemblies from 0.7GHz to 40GHz

 
  • 0.7-10GHz (ridged horn)
  • 1.7-2.6GHz (WR-430)
  • 2.6-3.95GHz (WR-284)
  • 3.95-5.85GHz (WR-187)
  • 5.85-8.2GHz (WR-137)
  • 8.2-12.4GHz (WR-90)
  • 12.4-18GHz (WR-62)
  • 18-26.5GHz (WR-42)
  • 26.5-40GHz (WR-28)

 

Standard-gain horns
  • 2.2-3.3GHz (WR-340, 1×15dB horn)
  • 2.6-3.35GHz (WR-284, 1×15dB horn)
  • 3.95-5.85GHz (WR-187, 2×15dB horns)
  • 5.85-8.2GHz (WR-137, 1×15dB horns)
  • 8.2-12.4GHz (WR-90, 1×15dB horns)
  • 12.4-18GHz (WR-62, 1×25dB horn + 1×24dB horn)
  • 18-26.5GHz (WR-42, 1×15dB horn)
  • 26.5-40GHz (WR-28, 1×15dB horn)
 

Selection of calibrated standard-gain horns

 

 

Lenses for quasi-optical measurements and free-space material characterization

 

 

Assorted stands/brackets/clamps

 

 

 

Agilent Technologies PNA-X Vector Network Analyzer

 

  • 2-port measurements from 10MHz to 43.5GHz
  • 126dB system with 129dB receiver dynamic range
  • 32001 points, 32 channels, and 5MHz IF bandwidth
  • Up to 13dBm output power (<0.1dB compression), 40dB power sweep range, harmonics below -60dBc
  • Noise floor below -110dBm at 10Hz IF bandwidth
  • Flexible 2.4mm test cable set
  • Mechanical 2.4mm calibration kit up to 50GHz
  • Configured for antenna-chamber and benchtop measurements