Microwave Week: All IMS Events

This half-day workshop titled "Integrating FR2 OAI and Hybrid RIS: Enhanced Network Management implementing FR2 OAI, ORAN, MIMO, and RIS" is designed to address the rapidly evolving technical landscape of mm-wave (FR2) OpenAirInterface (OAI) technology and network deployment with Dynamic RIS. The workshop will showcase cutting-edge developments in FR2 OAI, including its integration with ORAN architecture, and applications in ISAC and MIMO, as well as network deployment. Participants will benefit from presentations by experts who will share insights on innovative solutions and tools that enable advanced beamforming, intelligent RAN control, and efficient resource allocation in high-frequency networks.

The development of quantum computing shows no sign of slowing down, with multiple major players in the field recently announcing impressive achievements and aggressive roadmaps towards the deployment of quantum computers able to solve impactful problems for society. Though research and improvement of the core qubit technologies and the quantum processor units (QPUs) themselves have generally dominated the discourse in the quantum computing community, the engineering challenge of actually delivering complete scaled quantum computers with a full-fledged control/interaction framework is gaining increased attention as industrial and academic teams demonstrate qubit counts that push the envelope for I/O. This is especially problematic for technologies which require cryogenic environments, such as the popular superconducting qubit family, as a significant burden is incurred in trying to deliver necessary signals from room temperature through cabling down into the cryogenic environment itself. As proposed qubit counts on roadmaps increases beyond the 5000-physical-qubit mark, it is clear that interconnects will pose a massive challenge for the community. Though cryogenic electronics can help alleviate this, it does not resolve the fundamental problem of intra-fridge wiring towards the QPU proper. This half-day workshop collects academic and industrial speakers with deep expertise in this problem for discussions of the state-of-the-art in signal delivery, both for precision measurements and at scale. Attendees will be able to interact with experts to understand both the current best practices, but also hear about the bottlenecks and opportunities for innovative solutions from the broader microwave community.

As the world rapidly embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) across various industries, the key question arises: how can we best leverage AI/ML to transform our own field? This workshop addresses this critical question by highlighting cutting-edge research from industry and academia experts who are using AI to transform microwave design. With new techniques emerging at an unprecedented pace, the workshop will shine a light on their revolutionary potential in RF and microwave engineering. The focus is on how AI is streamlining design processes, optimising results and enhancing productivity, ultimately helping engineers to navigate increasingly complex challenges in ways that were previously not possible. Our six distinguished speakers, all pioneers in their respective areas, will present a comprehensive view of AI’s role in advancing the entire spectrum of microwave engineering, including topics such as device modeling (including GaN PA), component synthesis (together with inductor, transformer and other passives), circuit (including RFIC and MMICs) and system design, performance optimisation (like PA linearisation) and electronic design automation (EDA) covering RF to THz frequencies. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how AI/ML is reshaping the future of microwave engineering, providing the tools and perspectives needed to stay ahead and empowering innovation and realisation of advanced devices to highly integrated modules/systems, enabling applications for 5G, 6G and beyond.

The workshop will delve into the design of ultra-low and low-power RF integrated circuits, emphasizing various applications where energy efficiency is paramount. This is particularly relevant within the Internet of Things (IoT) domain, which spans multiple application fields. Given that power consumption is a critical concern for all battery-powered or always-on applications, the workshop will comprehensively address this issue.

The workshop will commence with two presentations focusing on Silicon technologies optimized for such applications, specifically FD-SOI, FinFET, and emerging technologies such as gate-all-around nanoribbon transistors. Following this, two additional presentations will explore the trade-offs associated with the most power-intensive components, namely the frequency synthesis unit and power amplifiers.

The subsequent four presentations will concentrate on architectural innovations pertinent to low and ultra-low power RFIC solutions. This segment will begin with discussions on novel sensor interface solutions, such as event-driven operation systems. The final three presentations will address comprehensive system solutions designed for wireless environments, achieving power consumption down to sub-microWatt levels, and secure biomedical applications.

In the context of 6G and beyond, the performance demands are geared towards massive parallelization. For instance, the Non-Terrestrial-Network (NTN) is an essential component of future 6G wireless systems, and the next-generation SATCOM network will play an enabling role to support 6G NTN. High throughput, capacity, and low latency, and beamformed wireless links are the key success factors for NTN. Most existing SATCOM terminals, either on the ground or on the satellite payload, require large-sized phased array systems with 1024 elements or more per array. Such massive parallelization results in significant challenges not only in terms of integration density, but also on calibration and practical operation; a particularly challenging task in SATCOM-on-the-Move (SOTM) systems that necessitate fast beam forming and tracking. In this WS we will have an overview of potential process/circuit/system solutions addressing these challenges.

According to Global Market Insights Inc., the optical communication and networking market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6% from 2024 to 2031, reaching $61.92 billion by 2031. The significant revenue comes from emerging technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), machine-to-machine networks, AI, cloud-based services, and web-based applications. Driven by this demand, many innovations are underway to enhance optical communication systems. In this full-day workshop, we will learn about the latest advancements in the field of wireless and wireline optical networks.
The morning session of this workshop covers four talks on OWC (Optical Wireless Communication) and applications for Free Space Optics. The afternoon session focuses on wireline optical communication systems, with some talks elaborating on the circuit design techniques for high-speed transceivers.

The ever-increasing demand for high-throughput communication links and high-resolution radar sensors is driving the development of future wireless systems at higher operating frequencies. In order to support multiple functionality, the flexibility requested to those systems, is driving the adoption of large phased array antennas and complex System-in-Package (SiP) Bit-to-RF or Optical-to-RF solutions. Heterogeneous technologies and vertical 3D integration will play a vital role in enhancing the performance and functional density, along with reducing the size and costs, of such RF systems. 3DHI will pose a new set of technology (processes and substrates), design (MMICS, RFIC, analog, power management, passives), packaging and thermal challenges, which will be addressed by renowned experts from Academia and Industry in this workshop.

The power amplifier is one of the most critical blocks in the transceiver and obtaining the desired performance from the PA at sub-THz frequencies remains a challenge. At sub-THz frequencies, transistors suffer from reduced gain impacting the performance of the PA. Designing sub-THz PAs with improved power added efficiency (PAE), output power, and linearity is an active area of research. SiGe and III-V technologies such as InP and GaN demonstrate higher fT and fmax than CMOS and as a result, sub-THz PAs designed in these technologies outperform their CMOS-based counterparts. On the other hand, CMOS can achieve better yield and higher level of integration compared to III-V technologies. In this workshop, the speakers will present recent developments in sub-THz PA design in CMOS, SiGe, and III-V technologies demonstrating their comparisons and trade-offs.

Frequency synthesizers are among the most critical blocks in wireless, wireline, and digital clocking applications. This workshop will cover both the fundamentals and the latest advances in frequency synthesis circuits and systems to efficiently generate LO signals with low phase noise, low spurious tones, and large modulation bandwidth. Prior-art techniques will be discussed in-depth, such as energy-efficient reference clocks, ultra-low phase noise voltage-controlled oscillators, digital PLL fundamentals, modern low-jitter fractional-N PLLs using both LC-oscillators and ring-oscillators. Special attention will also be given to pulling and spur mitigation techniques and PLL-based chirp generators for FMCW radar applications.

As wireless communication and sensing systems evolve toward higher data rates and greater spectral efficiency, the integration of self-interference cancellation (SIC) techniques becomes crucial, particularly for enabling simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) operations in full-duplex (FD) and frequency-division duplexing (FDD) systems. This workshop brings together leading experts to explore the challenges and solutions in SIC for advanced communication and sensing systems. The discussions will cover innovative SIC architectures for integrated radios, with a special focus on FD systems and their applications in 5G and beyond, including mmWave, IoT, radar, biomedical, and quantum systems. Attendees will gain insights into state-of-the-art time-domain and frequency-domain SIC techniques, antenna interface designs, and machine learning approaches for adaptive cancellation. The workshop will also address the transition of these technologies from academic research to real-world deployment, especially in high-performance commercial and defense applications.

This workshop will cover the latest industry developments and research trends in the design, large volume manufacturing, and characterization of superconducting, ion-trap, and semiconductor spin qubits along with the associated quantum processor architectures. We will start with a systematic and comprehensive comparison of the different qubit families, RF hardware realization challenges and their unique features. Presentations will also delve into cryogenic modeling, packaging, on-die small-signal and noise measurements and calibration at microwave and mm-wave frequencies of CMOS and SiGe HBT technologies needed in the control and readout electronics of these qubit families. We will end with the latest examples of such cryogenic control and readout circuits.

As the demand for high-speed wireless communication continues to grow, efficient PA design becomes critical for supporting modern communications network infrastructure, especially in the sub-20GHz spectrum (FR1 and FR3 bands). This workshop will delve into comprehensive design and development of power amplifiers (PAs) for sub-20GHz base station applications. The latest processes and technologies will be covered, focusing on semiconductor advances that drive power handling, linearity, and efficiency. Participants will explore theory and modeling principles to predict performance and optimize PA designs for various operational scenarios. The session will also emphasize architecture and design techniques, addressing key challenges such as linearity, efficiency, and bandwidth. Finally, the workshop will cover module design and integration, where participants will learn about packaging considerations and thermal management to ensure optimal performance in real-world deployments. This workshop is ideal for RF engineers, circuit designers, and researchers aiming to enhance their expertise in cutting-edge PA technology for wireless infrastructure. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of key PA architecture and design techniques through interactive sessions with practical case studies.

With rapid technological advances, the scope of communication systems is expanding significantly. Among the most groundbreaking developments are the use of mm-wave and sub-THz frequencies, which are poised to revolutionize wireless communication by unlocking unprecedented capabilities. This workshop will explore the transformative potential of mm-wave and sub-THz technologies, covering the frequency range from 30GHz to 300GHz. Once underutilized, these high-frequency ranges are now pivotal to major technological breakthroughs. Central to this advancement is the broadband front-end, which is crucial for effectively harnessing these frequencies for cutting-edge applications. A major focus of the workshop is the advancement of high-frequency communication technologies. Attendees will examine innovations in ultra-fast data transfer, low-latency networks, and the integration of mm-wave and sub-THz frequencies within wireless systems. These advances are reshaping connectivity, supporting the rollout of 5.5G and 6G networks, enhancing autonomous vehicles, and enabling smart cities. The workshop will also highlight the potential of 5.5G and 6G technologies to transform various industries. Additionally, the integration of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) and Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) technologies will be discussed, showcasing their critical roles in optimizing signal quality and extending network reach in the evolving landscape of 5.5G and beyond.

Integrated communication and sensing capabilities are on a strong trajectory to become an integral part of the next generation of wireless systems. While the exploration of these techniques started decades ago, their development has accelerated with the increasing availability of highly integrated Si-based transceivers, baseband compute capabilities, and wireless testbeds for experimentation, and more recently AI. Nevertheless, the development of wireless systems with efficient joint communication and sensing capabilities remains a challenging multi-disciplinary task where EM, circuit design, signal processing, and ML techniques are relevant. The goal of this workshop is to bring together a set of active researchers on these topics to share their vision and expertise and enhance the cross-disciplinary awareness and understanding between the RFIC and systems communities. The speakers span academic and industrial research institutions from across the globe and the presentations will cover circuit, algorithm, and application aspects.

This workshop provides an opportunity for presenters to share their work in addressing the challenges of unlocking the potential of the THz spectrum for future wireless communications and radar sensing applications. The presenters come from diverse backgrounds — including instrumentation manufacturing, metrology institutes, industry, and academia — offering a wide range of perspectives. Topics covered in this workshop include THz electronics, novel integration approaches for THz systems, interconnections and packaging technologies, photonics-based THz generation for communications, on-chip and waveguide antennas, design and characterization of high electron mobility transistors, and recent advances in testing and measurements up to 1THz and beyond.

While much of RFIC design works in the linear time invariant regime where blocks such as amplifiers provide a constant response during all time, linear time variant circuits bring time variance through clocking and/or mixing to enable significant performance advances. These advances are already showing promise in applications such as increased throughput in phased arrays, enabling full-duplex communication systems, and filtering of RF blockers for high bandwidth receivers. This workshop will bring together multiple research areas of linear periodic time variant (LPTV) circuit techniques from experts in industry and academia to provide attendees with both the theory of operation and the circuit and system implementation. Beginning with theory, the first talk will overview the theory of operation and analysis of LTV circuits with intuitive time-frequency domain analysis for mixing and filtering operations suited towards software-defined radios. The second talk will overview non-uniform sampling and engineering the clock to realize time-approximation filters for mixed-signal receiver implementations. The third talk will discuss sharp filtering through sampling aliases in LPTV filtering applications. The fourth talk will present advances in discrete-time true-time delay technologies and non-reciprocal components for use in full-duplex systems and circulators. The final talk will show significantly increased phased array throughput using joint phase and time array using an LPTV true-time delay as a key component. To end the workshop, we will bring the experts together for cross-pollination of ideas through a panel interaction with attendees.

Despite the automation of many processes in the engineering world, microwave circuit design still remains very much an "art" rather than a "science". However, recent developments in intelligent algorithms, artificial intelligence, and machine learning make the automation of microwave circuit design a potential breakthrough of epic proportions. The ability to automatically design circuits meeting goal specifications would allow improved designs and more efficient use of designer time. This workshop discusses facets of automated circuit design, including the motivation for automated microwave design, the limitations of artificial intelligence, how automation can be placed in the design workflow, and applications of automated design to different potential microwave application spaces. The workshop will conclude with a panel session of all speakers to discuss the way forward in microwave design automation.

With the widespread use of mobile phones and smartphones, the contract for communication lines has shifted from being household-based to device-based. The wireless and mobile transformation of communication lines has improved communication speed and convenience, bringing significant changes to our society. However, electricity contracts remain at the household level and are limited to wired supply. The advancement of social implementation, such as DX (Digital Transformation), is predicted to significantly increase the number of sensors and IoT devices. In recent years, the development of 5G (fifth-generation mobile communication system) has aimed to establish a communication infrastructure capable of managing high volumes of traffic. However, significant challenges still persist regarding power supply methods for devices. To build a communication infrastructure capable of accommodating the increasing number of devices, wireless power supply methods to simplify battery replacement and charging are essential. This workshop focuses on research and development projects related to the integration of communication and power transmission. The requirements for research on the fusion of communication and power transmission include additive methods for incorporating wireless power transmission functionality into communication systems, power supply systems for communication purposes, mechanisms for simultaneous communication and power reception, device development for efficient conversion of radio waves into electrical energy, and the development of high-efficiency and cost-effective high-gain antennas. Wireless power transmission has recently been institutionalized in Japan and has begun commercial use. In the future, this theme will be of great importance in collaboration with Beyond-5G and 6G. The technologies presented in this session have the potential to significantly transform our energy utilization practices.

The measurement of noise temperatures or noise figures of low-noise amplifiers and receivers is a key technique for a multitude of applications. Especially when talking about cutting-edge performance, eg for satellite-based systems at room temperature or quantum computing and radio astronomy at cryogenic temperatures, low-noise measurements become more and more challenging. While noise measurements are very often understood as straight forward, measurements at different ambient temperatures, operating frequencies, or input matching conditions are a major challenge so that low noise temperatures with a low uncertainty are difficult to maintain. This is especially true when the measured performance further improves and gets closer to physical limits. With applications such as array receivers or highly-scaled systems, such as astronomical interferometer or quantum computer, the increasing number of devices under test is a continuously growing requirement and will be addressed. In this workshop, we address several challenges and show state-of-the-art solutions for applications at room temperature and cryogenic conditions; best practices are discussed. This includes noise sources that are a key technology for the characterization and calibration of THz instrumentation ranging from amplifiers to radiometers. Therefore, the first talk will describe the development of noise sources, both diode and transistor based, with a focus on increasing ENR to enable a wide range of applications. In addition, the characterization methods and error analysis of the noise sources will be presented. The characterization of noise parameters is a key technique for device modeling and the assessment of different transistor technologies and devices. Thus, the second talk will focus on the characterization of noise parameters and corresponding conclusions. The following two talks discuss setups and challenges for cryogenic devices. The third talk describes a method for on-wafer noise temperature measurements of low-noise amplifiers using the cold-attenuator approach. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the measurement uncertainty is presented. The fourth talk discusses an approach in measuring and qualifying cryogenic LNAs for their application in radio astronomical receivers. The basis of the presentation will be the activities for ALMA Band 2 1st stage LNA at W-Band. Here the main RF performance characteristics of effective noise temperature, full two-port s-parameters, amplitude and phase stability need to be verified at a cryogenic temperature of 15K and evaluated against specifications. Current and future projects in radio astronomy require a procedural approach in order to handle production volumes in the order of hundreds of cryogenic components. An increase of production volume is clearly foreseeable for the near future. This necessitates the use of automated processes for measurement and document generation. It is noteworthy that these activities often take place in research institutions, where, traditionally, many components used in cryogenic radio astronomy receivers are still developed, fabricated and tested. The learning and best practice of measurement setups in such demanding environments help also to improve the understanding in an even wider area of applications. Thus, developments, as discussed in this workshop, serve the entire IMS community.

In advanced mobile and wireless communication systems, including for sub-6GHz and mm-wave 5G and 6G, the integration and packaging of PA with other circuits has recently gained significant attention for enhancing electrical performances and achieving reduced size and integration cost. At the same time, in a front-end module (FEM), power amplifiers are considered the most expensive and critical component, dissipating high power within a compact space. PA’s thermal management and integration (considering electromagnetic interference) are crucial in achieving the required system performance with high reliability and repeatability. This workshop will focus on recent advances in PA design techniques, co-designing power amplifiers with other active (like, LNA, PS) and passive components (including filter, antennas) and integration, packaging, and thermal management techniques for realizing high-performance FEMs. It will present superior PA and FEM performance utilising advanced materials and techniques, including a diamond composite material compatible with II-V semiconductors and bond wires matching technique-based fully integrated PA. Furthermore, it will showcase wafer-level and chipset-based packaging of PA using silicon interposer and co-designing and integrating with passives and other RF (GaAs/GaN) and Si/CMOS circuits into a single substrate and demonstrating state-of-the-art output power and efficiency, enhancing integration and reducing manufacturing costs.

Over six decades of exploration of our solar system by robotic spacecraft has not only been one of the greatest adventures in history but has also transformed our understanding of the universe. Every mission has enabled stunning scientific discoveries that altered our knowledge of the universe. The breadth and depth of the discoveries from these robotic missions would not have been possible without the parallel development of a broad range of science instruments that operate over a wide range of wavelengths across the electromagnetic spectrum. These instruments provided the data to address key science questions and test scientific hypotheses. The focus of this workshop is the development of space borne and ground based sub-mm-wave and THz science instruments for exploring our universe and its origin, discovering and understanding planetary systems around nearby stars, and the cosmological parameters governing the evolution of the universe, etc. At present there are significant technological needs for improving existing instruments and adapting completely new concepts. Practically all instruments can benefit by technology developments that can reduce their mass and power consumption and improve data communications capability. Additionally, increased sensitivity and measurement accuracy are desired attributes along with survivability under extreme temperature/pressure in the ionizing radiation environment of space. Furthermore, autonomy is important given the enormous planetary distances that are involved. Accordingly, the workshop includes presentations from space agencies and organizations across the globe highlighting their instrument development successes and the missions that were enabled. The workshop commences with an overview talk that presents the developments leading up to the James Webb Space Telescope, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and the Habitable Worlds Observatory operating in the far-infrared/THz regime (~30–300 microns / 1–10THz). The second presentation will review the history of superconducting THz detectors that are used and their status and prospects. In the third presentation, the development of superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) receivers developed at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) for the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (AL-MA) for operations at Band 4 (125–163GHz), Band 8 (385–500GHz), and band 10 (787–950GHz) will be presented. The fourth presentation will focus on the THz semiconductor Schottky junction used as a low noise, room temperature mixer for high spectral resolution THz observations. In particular, the 1.2THz front-end of the Submillimeter Wave Instrument (SWI) of the European Space Agency (ESA) Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE) mission. The fifth presentation will describe a unique large-format 1.9THz heterodyne array using planar silicon micromachined package for high-resolution spectroscopy of interstellar clouds. The sixth presentation will describe the Herschel Heterodyne Instrument for the far-Infrared (HI-FI) for very high-resolution spectroscopy and the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies (GREAT) operated on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The last talk will focus on big antennas in space and on ground to carry out astrophysical research.

The demonstration of a quantum computer outperforming the largest conventional supercomputers has triggered researchers and enterprises worldwide to work towards improving these systems’ hardware performance and investigating their novel uses in the form of quantum methods and algorithms. In the case of superconducting quantum computers, low temperatures and weak microwave control signals are used, making the quantum nature of the electromagnetic field important. Hence, the design, optimization, and scaling of the respective microwave components must be performed on an entirely new theoretical basis, given by the framework of circuit quantum electrodynamics. For microwave engineers, this signifies a transfer of knowledge from classical electromagnetics to the quantum realm. More or less standard microwave components such as mixers, isolators, parametric amplifiers, and circulators are vital for realizing superconducting quantum computers. Also, alternative quantum computing concepts, such as trapped ions or spin qubits, heavily rely on microwave technology. Modeling the associated devices and components requires methods from quantum theory or hybrid semi-classical quantum approaches, which are particularly important if quantum effects are fundamental to the device’s operation. In tandem with hardware developments, many quantum algorithms have been proposed to exploit the unique properties of quantum computers to solve challenging computational tasks. In the field of electromagnetics, specialized quantum algorithms have the potential for significant speedups against classical computing strategies, especially when it comes to NP-hard optimization problems. Quantum algorithms also show great potential for solving integral equations, inverse scattering problems, and synthesizing antenna radiation patterns. However, at the current stage, inevitable noise and limited qubit coherence times are prohibitive for most methods to show a real quantum advantage. To exploit the full potential of general-purpose quantum computers, which will enable breakthrough applications in the mid and long-term, further technological advances in quantum error correction and qubit readout are necessary. This will require significant scaling of current hardware while continuing to engineer components to achieve improved performance. Thus, in this workshop, we will address current topics in the modeling and experimental realization of microwave devices across a range of quantum hardware platforms. Hardware aspects will be connected to the design and implementation of advanced quantum algorithms for general-purpose quantum computers. The workshop aims to bring together specialists in the modeling, design, and experimental realization of quantum hardware and experts in quantum algorithms with a focus on computational electromagnetics to discuss their individual ideas and perspectives on quantum computing, as well as other emerging technologies like quantum sensors and quantum communications. Another important aspect of this workshop is to provide a comprehensive step-by-step introduction to the strange new world of quantum theory, specially tailored for microwave engineers. This introduction will be given through a comprehensive tutorial at the beginning of the workshop, bridging the language barrier between quantum physics and RF microwave engineering.

This workshop delves into advanced modeling techniques and innovative design strategies for high-power microwave passive components, such as power combiners, filters and multiplexers, which are crucial for applications in telecommunications, radar, and satellite communications. The workshop aims to provide participants with the latest insights and practical skills to tackle challenges in high-power microwave component design. Overview and Core Content: The workshop begins with an overview of passive components, highlighting their roles in microwave systems. It covers the principles and design methodologies of high-power components, including fixed frequency filters, radial combiners, waveguide polarizers, and tunable 3D filters. Sessions provide a detailed look at specific design challenges and solutions, offering a comprehensive understanding of the technical aspects. Key Challenges: Addressing critical challenges, such as RF breakdown and thermal management, is a key focus of the workshop. These issues are vital for components operating under high-power conditions in both terrestrial and space-based systems. The sessions will explore advanced modeling techniques and strategies to overcome these challenges, ensuring high reliability and performance. Emerging Technologies and Innovations: The workshop emphasizes emerging technologies reshaping high-power microwave design, particularly the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for optimizing high-power filters. This allows for enhanced performance, reduced design time, and greater reliability. The use of additive manufacturing (AM) for waveguide subsystems is also highlighted, demonstrating its capacity to create complex, efficient designs that exceed traditional manufacturing capabilities. Specialized talks: Sessions will cover AI-driven optimization techniques, including ML algorithms for predictive modeling and real-time adjustments. Participants will gain insights into advanced modeling of high-power components using modern software tools, as well as the synthesis of additively manufactured waveguide assemblies. These sessions are tailored to provide practical knowledge that attendees can directly apply to their work. Expert Interaction and Distinguished Speakers: Featuring a panel of distinguished speakers who are experts in the field, the workshop offers opportunities for direct interaction and engagement. Each session includes Q&A segments, allowing attendees to discuss challenges and gain deeper insights. This format encourages a collaborative atmosphere, promoting the exchange of ideas and professional networking. Community Support and Open Discussion: The workshop is supported by the Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S), specifically through Technical Committees TC-4 (Passive Components) and TC-5 (Filters), underlining the significance of these topics within the microwave community. An open discussion session will enable participants to delve deeper into topics, propose ideas, and collaborate on emerging challenges, creating an inclusive environment for all attendees. Goals and Impact: By combining advanced modeling, innovative design strategies, and emerging technologies, this workshop aims to advance high-power microwave component design and manufacturing. It seeks to equip participants with the tools, knowledge, and connections needed to drive innovation in their work. Through a comprehensive and interactive program, the workshop aspires to foster the development of high-performance, reliable, and efficient high-power microwave components for contemporary RF and microwave systems.

GaN HEMT technology plays a crucial role in wireless telecom infrastructure for 3G, 4G, and 5G standards. Thanks to its excellent transport properties, GaN HEMTs support highly efficient, high-power operation at frequencies up to several tens of GHz. This makes them particularly well-suited for the FR3 spectrum (7–24GHz), which has emerged as a key focus for 6G communications. Historically, GaN has been grown hetero-epitaxially on high-resistivity SiC substrates, known for their superior performance but also high cost. Recently, driven by the success of GaN in power switching applications, GaN-on-Si is gaining momentum in RF and microwave communication. While GaN-on-Si introduces some trade-offs — such as lower thermal conductivity and parasitic effects like conductive channels at the Si/AlN interface — it presents immense potential due to its economic advantages. Silicon substrates are not only more affordable, but can also be produced at up to 300mm in diameter and processed in high-volume Si foundries. Additionally, GaN-on-Si offers technical benefits like scalability and easier integration with Si CMOS technology. In this workshop, we will explore GaN-on-Si HEMT technology in the FR3 spectrum from multiple angles. Topics include material science, the foundry perspective, device scaling, reliability, co-integration with existing technologies, and its application in both telecom infrastructure and user devices. Competitive benchmarking and future market prospects will also be discussed. This workshop features presentations by experts from both industry and academia, providing a comprehensive overview of the state of GaN-on-Si technology. Interactive sessions, including live polling, Q&A discussions, and a panel, will allow participants to engage with speakers and fellow attendees.

Numerical methods for computational electromagnetics (CEM) are ubiquitous in design of today’s microwave and THz electronics, wireless communication links, high-speed digital interconnects and various other applied areas driving modern information and communication technologies to their new frontiers. Acceleration of these methods with fast algorithms and their deployment on heterogeneous high-performance computing platforms featuring farms of CPUs and GPUs enables the shrinking of simulation times from days to seconds, ensuring rapid virtual prototyping and drastically shrinking the time to market for today’s industrial, consumer, and defence products. Depending on the applications, sophistication of the geometric and material properties, as well as required accuracy of the simulations, differential equation-based methods such as FEM and FDTD, integral equation methods such as MoM and LCN, or high-frequency asymptotic methods such as SBR are commonly used. To ensure minimum simulation time and memory use, these methods are typically not implemented in their stand-alone form, but are used in conjunction with sophisticated sparse matrix algorithms, hierarchical compression schemes, and tensor train decompositions, and are often deployed on hybrid shared and distributed memory multiprocessors augmented with GPUs. The workshop will consist of two parts (half-day each): Part I will introduce microwave engineers and active users of commercial tools in a step-by-step manner to the underlying electromagnetic theory and algorithmic background of popular computational tools by means of a comprehensive coverage on the most popular numerical schemes such as FEM, FDTD, MoM, High-Frequency asymptotic methods and their hybridization through domain decomposition strategies. Hands-on exercises delivered through Slido platform will make Part I of the workshop interactive and engaging for the participants. It will conclude with a unified outlook at the discussed numerical methods. Part II of the workshop will target an advanced audience and introduce iterative fast algorithms in CEM, including FFT based methods and Fast Multipole Method as well as emerging fast direct algorithms based on hierarchical matrices (H- and H2-matrices) and tensor train decompositions. The relation of the material characterization to CEM modeling will be discussed in this part also. Part II will conclude with an expert panel discussion on recent advances in the use of machine-learning methods in CEM.

The integration of RF acoustics with quantum technologies presents new opportunities for advances in both classical and quantum systems. This workshop will bring together leading experts from academia and industry to explore key innovation opportunities at the intersection of these fields. The event begins with a look at RF acoustic resonators, addressing challenges in fabrication and simulation. Key performance issues will be explored, alongside modeling techniques to optimize devices. The workshop will be followed by a presentation on the limitations of today’s acoustic wave technologies and discussions on tackling them. Next, high-overtone bulk acoustic-wave resonators (HBARs) are discussed for their ability to support ultrahigh coherence phonon modes, with implications for quantum memory, sensors, and transducers. Strategies for quantum control of phonons via optomechanical and electromechanical couplings will be introduced. The workshop also highlights advances in phononic circuits for classical and quantum information processing, focusing on electron-phonon interactions and non-linearities. Recent progress in Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices for quantum computing, including their integration with superconducting circuits, will be showcased. Finally, thermal management in nanoscale devices will be discussed, offering solutions to challenges in heat dissipation. A panel discussion will conclude the workshop, encouraging collaboration between the RF acoustics and quantum communities.

Predictions based on popular figures of merit, such as the Johnson Figure of Merit (JFOM) and Baliga Figure of Merit (BFOM), have motivated the development of wide bandgap semiconductors (WBGSs) for RF and power electronics. In recent years, the rapid adoption of gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) demonstrates that investments in these technologies is indeed paying off. Thus, it is natural to look ahead and ask if even better performance can be obtained from devices based on emerging ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors (UWBGSs). While the above mentioned FOMs indicate that these UWBGSs could outperform today’s WBGS devices, there remain technological hurdles at all levels: from substrates and epitaxy, to contacts and passivation. This workshop brings together international experts currently investigating these topics to discuss the state-of-the-art of UWBGS III-Nitride (AlGaN, AlN), gallium oxide and diamond devices for RF and power electronics. In addition to covering the use of UWBGSs as a channel material, the use of these materials as substrates and thermal management solutions will also be examined, with the overarching goal of exploring how to best use UWBGS in next-generation electronic devices. The workshop will conclude with a round table session to invite audience participation and interaction with the speakers.

The rapid evolution of wireless communication and sensing systems necessitates continuous innovation to meet the increasing demand for higher data-rates, improved spectrum efficiency, and reduced latency. One promising technique to address these challenges is the In-Band Full-Duplex (IBFD), also known as Simultaneous Transmit And Receive (STAR) technology. IBFD enables a device to simultaneously transmit and receive on the same frequency at the same time. The benefits of this technology include a doubling of the capacity, higher spectral efficiency, reduced latency, a higher data-rate, optimized network performance, and improved sensing systems. In this workshop, several experts will present various approaches to cancel the inherent self-interference from the own transmitter. It begins by explaining the three domains where self-interference can be mitigated: propagation, analog, and digital domain. The current challenges and recent research advances are elucidated, and the presentations are organized in accordance with the overarching themes of the workshop. One presentation is dedicated to the analysis of digital self-interference phenomena occurring in different modulation formats within the VHF band. The presentation compares and contrasts the characteristics of analog (AM, FM, PM) and digital (OFDM) formats. Another presentation addresses IBFD phased array systems, with a focus on self-interference suppression techniques, including RF cancellation, adaptive beamforming, and digital filtering, and their potential for application in 6G systems. A subsequent presentation will examine the utilisation of full-duplex FMCW radar systems, with a particular focus on the deployment of active Self-Interference Cancellation Couplers (SICCs) to enhance radar system isolation and facilitate miniaturisation and over-the-air synchronisation. Additional presentations address self-interference cancellation in Advanced Duplex (AD) systems, with an emphasis on techniques within MIMO communication and adaptive RF front-ends, which are of particular importance for IBFD and FDD, employing tunable filters and electrical balance duplexers. Furthermore, the workshop examines the potential of Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology in the development of fully integrated transceiver front-ends for applications such as radar and electronic warfare. In this context, the material’s advantages in terms of power, size, and radiation tolerance, particularly for space systems, are emphasised. Additionally, the discussion encompasses a range of GaN designs, including power amplifiers and low-noise amplifiers, along with their associated testing and measurement processes.

Future wireless systems operating beyond 100GHz will enable a wide range of applications such as high data-rate communications, radar sensing and imaging. Such wireless systems are becoming a reality given the rapid increase in the development of RF devices at upper mm-wave and sub-THz frequency range. Accurate on-wafer measurements play an important role in the development of many established and emerging industrial applications. It is key that the performance of the fabricated planar RF circuits must be characterized by performing on-wafer measurements for quality assurance or during product development as a feedback to the design process. However, despite the significant progress made over the last decade in improving the accuracy of on-wafer measurements, several challenges remain to be overcome, particularly as frequencies increase. One of the most challenging aspects of on-wafer measurements is the presence of probe parasitics, multimode propagation and neighborhood effects. These effects occur both in active and passive devices, which are the key components of RF systems. This workshop will review the challenges and opportunities of on-wafer measurements and present fundamental aspects of on-wafer measurements, such as techniques to minimize calibration and measurement errors in the mm-wave range, the on-wafer traceability path, and techniques to improve on-wafer measurement accuracy. The workshop will also emphasize on-wafer calibration and automation for active device characterization and will address the importance of on-wafer measurements from IC designer’s perspective. During this interactive full-day workshop, ten experts from around the world will share their experience and guide you through various aspects of on-wafer measurements. The speakers come from a variety of backgrounds: National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) from the USA, Europe and Asia, instrument manufacturers, industry and academia. The aim of this workshop is therefore to provide an overview of these current research areas and to present future directions in the field of on-wafer measurements.

Microwaves emerged as a pervasive interface to read advanced materials, and to remotely detect measurands. This workshop will present state-of-the-art insights by inter-disciplinary research leaders around different microwave sensing modalities, illustrating a holistic image from advanced materials at MHz to sub-THz frequencies, to remote sensing using novel microwave front-ends, and system co-design. Microwave sensing characterisation will be presented for the first time for new materials including 2D materials, polymers and biodegradable metals. Moving to readouts/remote sensing, co-advances in circuits and antennas will be presented with a focus on adapting radio astronomy, mm-wave radar, exploiting losses, and other novel readout techniques. Through both applications, sustainable design guidelines will be presented including low-power front-end design, battery-free wireless-powered and chipless systems, as well as, for the first time, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of microwave circuits. In addition to expert speakers, our workshop will bring lightning talks from excellent students/young professionals. Thus fostering 2-way knowledge exchange and showcasing the diversity and future of MTT. The talks are: Prof. Ferran Martin, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, “Lossy Microwave Sensors”; Dr Sara Salem Hesari, National Research Centre Canada, “Leveraging Radio Astronomy Techniques for Enhanced RF and Microwave Sensing”; Dr Laila Salman, Ansys Canada, “Multiphysics Design and Analysis of Silver-Based Low-Emissivity Coating Technology for Energy Saving Sustainable Windows Applications”; Prof. Aline Eid, University of Michigan, “Ultra-Low-Power, Long-Range Trackers enabled by mm-Wave Backscatter and Radar Principles”; Prof. Will Whittow, Loughborough University, “Additive Metamaterials and Far-Field Techniques for Sensing”; (Co-Chair) Prof Mohammad Zarif, University of British Columbia, “RF/Microwave Wearable Devices for Body Armor and Personal Protective Equipment”; (Co-Chair) Prof Mahmoud Wagih, University of Glasgow, “Sustainable Materials-Enabled Microwave Sensors: Are We Considering Manufacturing?”.

Microwave materials and processing/manufacturing technologies are the fundamental questions to be addressed for all microwave devices, systems and applications. The committee focuses on bridging the gap between microwave materials/manufacturing technologies and their applications in RF devices, microwave circuits, systems and applications. The committee promotes the materials and processing solutions for implementing functional RF devices and systems using conventional and emerging processes, including additive, subtractive, and hybrid manufacturing, multi-material fabrication and integration. The committee is an excellent window for cross-discipline collaboration and innovation. Experts from microwave chemistry and physics are involved in the working groups expanding the FoI of MTT society, which brings opportunities for the MTT-S community to gain cross-disciplinary expertise. The proposed workshop will host distinguished researchers in this area to share their news and views on microwave materials and processing technologies for radio-frequency and wireless applications.

The evolution of 3D passive components and devices has become increasingly important in advancing high-density integration and multifunctionality in microwave and mm-wave systems. Traditional planar technologies, such as 2D layouts on PCBs, often face limitations in scalability, integration density, and performance at higher frequencies due to increased parasitic effects and limited space for component placement. In contrast, 3D integration techniques leverage vertical stacking and embedding of components, significantly improving the overall performance, reducing form factors, and enhancing the functionality of passive circuits. 3D integration utilizes advanced materials and processes, including GaAs, CMOS, GaN, and MEMS, which offer distinct advantages over conventional approaches: (•1) GaAs-based Integrated Passive Device (IPD) Technology: GaAs IPD technology allows for the development of highly integrated, multifunctional filtering circuits. These circuits combine lumped and distributed elements, leading to compact designs that exhibit low loss and high-quality factors. (•2) MEMS-based Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) Filters: MEMS technologies enable the fabrication of high-performance BAW filters that offer superior selectivity and low insertion loss at microwave frequencies. The miniaturization and integration capabilities of MEMS devices allow these filters to be directly integrated into RF front-end modules, enhancing the performance of wireless communication systems. (•3) GaN-based Filtering Switches: GaN materials are known for their high breakdown voltage and power-handling capabilities, making them ideal for high-frequency, high-power applications. GaN-based filtering switches integrate filtering and switching functions, reducing the need for separate components and thereby minimizing signal loss and improving system efficiency. Addressing High-Frequency Challenges with 3D Technologies — high-frequency applications, particularly in the mm-wave range, pose unique challenges such as increased parasitic effects, signal loss, and thermal management issues. 3D integration addresses these challenges by: (•1) Reducing Size and Parasitics: The vertical stacking of components and the integration of passives directly onto semiconductor substrates minimize interconnect lengths and associated parasitics. (•2) Performance Optimization: By leveraging advanced electromagnetic modeling techniques and novel manufacturing processes like micro-dispensing and aerosol jetting, 3D technologies enable the design of complex metasurface architectures and efficient RF packaging solutions. These processes allow for the precise control of material properties and geometric configurations, leading to optimized performance in terms of bandwidth, insertion loss, and isolation. Heterogeneous Integration and Packaging Innovations — the integration of microelectronics and heterogeneous 2.5D/3D packaging techniques further supports the development of high-density, energy-efficient designs essential for emerging 5G and 6G systems. Advanced packaging methods, such as die-embedded glass substrates, provide innovative solutions for integrating high-frequency components. For example, a die-embedded glass packaging effectively mitigates electrical losses and manages thermal dissipation. Additionally, the ability to stack multiple layers of passive and active components enables the creation of highly compact modules. In this workshop, we address the transition to 3D high-integration technologies which marks a significant advance in the microwave and mm-wave field, offering a pathway to more compact, efficient, and multifunctional electronic systems. By overcoming the limitations of traditional planar approaches, 3D integration is set to revolutionize the design and implementation of high-frequency electronic systems, driving innovation and expanding the possibilities for future technologies.

The rapid advances in radar technology, along with AI and machine learning, are unlocking unseen insights into human behavior, health, and security. In “Unseen Insights: Radar and the Future of Human Sensing,” we explore how radar is reshaping the future of human sensing. From monitoring vital-signs such as heart rate, breathing rate, glucose levels, and blood pressure to enhancing human security, radar’s ability to detect minute physiological and behavioral details without contact signals a new era where human sensing becomes more intelligent, seamless, and highly adaptable. This workshop will dive into how radar, coupled with AI, is set to revolutionize key industries, from healthcare to automotive, by offering transformative, real-time solutions to monitor and understand human activity in ways previously unimaginable. As radar technology continues to evolve, it is poised to redefine how we interact with our surroundings. Whether it is enhancing in-home health monitoring, improving security systems, creating safer autonomous vehicles, or becoming part of the next wave of AR/VR and smart home devices, radar is offering a window into the unseen. By capturing the subtlest of signals — heartbeat, breathing rate, glucose, blood pressure — radar has the potential to make environments more responsive, healthcare more proactive, and safety systems more robust. This workshop will highlight these groundbreaking developments, featuring insights from industry leaders, cutting-edge startups, and academic experts, all shaping the future of radar-powered human sensing.

The load modulated balanced amplifier (LMBA) architecture has received considerable attention due to its great potential for efficiency and bandwidth enhancement. Many variations on the architecture have been proposed: LMBA vs. SLMBA vs OLMBA, single-input vs. dual input, frequency-reconfigurable vs. broadband, hybrid vs. MMIC, and so on. The aim of this workshop is to describe this broad design space and help provide guidance on how to find the right LMBA solution for a particular application. After a general introduction to the technique, individual presenters will focus on a specific variant and how its design, operation, and performance compares to the baseline architecture.

As data-rates continue to rise and system complexity increases, maintaining robust signal integrity (SI) has become a critical challenge in next-generation high-speed systems. Applications in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud computing are driving the demand for higher data throughput and increasingly complex interconnect designs. To meet this demand while maintaining reasonable power consumption, advanced nodes like 3nm and associated packaging technologies, such as chiplets, are being employed — introducing additional signal integrity (SI) challenges. This workshop will address key broadband SI challenges and offer cutting-edge solutions for mitigating impairments like inter-symbol interference (ISI), crosstalk, and discontinuities across a broad frequency spectrum. Participants will also explore modeling and analyzing interconnects and transitions for broadband applications using integral equation (IE) methods, a crucial tool for accurately modeling signal behavior in advanced packaging and PCB designs. The workshop will cover the fundamentals, state-of-the-art techniques, and ongoing challenges of applying these methods to broadband SI analysis in high-speed systems. In addition to signal integrity, power integrity (PI) is an equally critical factor, particularly as emerging AI and cloud computing systems require thousands of amps to be delivered to high-speed digital designs. A specialized talk will address power integrity challenges in multi-die packages, AI chips, and cloud servers, focusing on digital twin PI simulations to mitigate hardware failures. Participants will gain insight into the complexities of end-to-end power delivery networks, voltage regulators, and power integrity digital twins for next-gen systems. The workshop will also build on modeling broadband interconnects, culminating in comprehensive models for packaging and PCB designs using finite element method (FEM) and IE methods. A case study on Rigid-Flex PCB modeling up to 100GHz will be presented, with an in-depth discussion of the challenges encountered. Once the broadband channel model (comprising the package, PCB, and connectors) is established, the workshop will explore the need for spectrally efficient modulation schemes (eg PAM-4) and digital equalization techniques to overcome channel impairments for data-rates exceeding 200Gb/s. With rising data center cooling costs, energy-efficient digital equalization has become a crucial research area. This talk will provide an overview of the evolution, current landscape, and future trends in digital equalization for high-speed links. As background, our IEEE Ottawa AP-S/MT-S chapter recently launched an MTT-sponsored Signal Integrity course in the Kanata tech area, which has been extremely successful among both students and professionals. The course was fully booked, and demand continues to grow, underscoring the importance of providing high-quality content in the signal integrity field.

Gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) continue to play a critical role in numerous RF applications including communications, satellite communications, radar, and electronic warfare. The GaN technology development cycle has always been critically reliant on measurements to characterize the transistors and provide precise data for device process engineers, modeling engineers, as well as for circuit and system designers. New variants of GaN HEMTs, often designed for specific applications, will continue to require both established and advanced measurement techniques — particularly tests that characterize the transistor in application-like environments. It is, therefore, critical to understand the landscape in terms of microwave measurements specific to characterizing GaN HEMT technologies for their use cases. This half-day workshop will assemble an international group of experts in the field of advanced RF measurements to present the latest research from MHz to THz techniques. This proposed workshop will enable an inclusive, international audience and will welcome open discussions on the technical aspects of the presentations.