IMS2026 Schedule

Modern technology is driving higher data rates and wider bandwidths. Communication standards such as 5G, 802.11, and satellites are driving power amplifier (PA) designers to develop amplifiers with ever-wider bandwidths.

As bandwidth increases PAs memory effects become more pronounced, making accurate memory effect characterization more critical than ever. Additionally, efficiency requirements push the PAs further into non-linearity. Both topics are critical for digital predistortion (DPD) techniques.

Different instrument classes are available for measuring wideband PAs. This workshop will compare data obtained from vector network analyzers (VNAs) and from vector signal generator/spectrum analyzer setups.

This workshop shed light on end-to-end process that transforms advanced electromagnetic designs into manufacturable, reliable hardware for demanding applications such as satellite payloads, radar systems, and next-generation communication networks. Beginning with rigorous electromagnetic simulation and optimization, design phase integrates thermal, mechanical, and additionally Multipactor analyses to ensure high power handling and minimal insertion loss. Speakers share unique design and engineering challenges as well as uncover recent innovations in achieving exceptionally tight tolerances, thermal stability, and design robustness across complete lifecycle of consolidated RF waveguide components—from initial electromagnetic design through precision machining, surface finishing, and final qualification.

Quantum technologies such as quantum computing are rapidly evolving from theoretical promise to technological frontier, driven in large part by innovations in microwave engineering. At the heart of many quantum platforms — especially superconducting qubits — lie microwave signals and components that enable precise control and readout of quantum states. These systems operate in extreme cryogenic environments, often at temperatures below 50 millikelvin, where conventional microwave techniques face unprecedented constraints. As quantum processors scale to accommodate hundreds or thousands of qubits, the microwave infrastructure required to support them grows exponentially. This includes a dense network of coaxial cabling, attenuators, filters, amplifiers, and interconnects, all of which must perform reliably under cryogenic conditions. The resulting demands on thermal management, spatial efficiency, and signal fidelity are formidable, and they call for a new generation of microwave design and metrology tailored to quantum applications. This workshop will explore the role of microwave technologies in enabling quantum control and readout and examine the unique challenges of cryogenic measurements for semiconductor and superconductor components. Topics will include calibration and uncertainty analysis in quantum-limited regimes, design strategies for minimizing heat load while maximizing signal integrity, and the development of emerging standards for benchmarking quantum hardware. Attendees will hear from a diverse lineup of speakers including quantum system developers, microwave instrument manufacturers, academic researchers, and national metrology institutes, who are tackling the practical challenges of building scalable quantum computers.

ICT and electronics are responsible for 2–4% of global emissions and potentially over 50% of the critical minerals consumption per capita, mostly attributed to the manufacturing of semiconductor devices. Microwave technologies underpin telecommunications and are a major energy consumer; emerging microwave technologies also have the potential to make electronics, and the world, more sustainable. This workshop will provide a holistic view of how sustainability and microwave technologies interact, across three main areas: (1) The sustainability of microwave devices and wireless networks, and more broadly electronics, with a focus on semiconductors and Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs); (2) Microwave technologies for sustainable sensing and identification, with a focus on RFID technologies and sustainable chipless solutions; (3) Microwave wireless power transfer (WPT) and its role in sustainability, from battery-less IoT to space-based “Net-Zero” energy generation. The workshop will start by introducing microwave engineers to areas ranging from RFICs/MMICs to passive technologies and systems, to quantifying sustainability. LCA will be introduced as a methodology which can be used to quantify the footprint of both specific electronic devices, with a focus on integrated circuits/chips, and of systems. LCA will then be applied to a range of technologies, including emerging mm-wave/THz links, RFID (UHF and chipless), and IoT applications. Given the central role of semiconductors, sustainable chip manufacturing and integration will be introduced, including a strong focus on industrial insights. These will be provided by opinions from activities across Europe, the US, and the UK, with a focus on industrially co-created insights. Methods for adopting “circular economy” principles and allowing RFICs and MMICs to be recycled and reused will be introduced. Frameworks for design-for-recycling will be discussed, highlighting challenges around reliability and commercialisation. The last technical aspect will explore the role of microwaves in creating a more sustainable world. Wireless Power Transfer (WPT), both terrestrial (low-power) and space-based (high-power) will be introduced as sustainable technologies for green energy. Chipless RFID and circular/low-waste RFID tags will also be discussed, as exemplars of how microwave-enabled tech could enable more supply chains. The workshop’s primary aim is to deepen the understanding of sustainability challenges across the microwave community. With the workshop speakers coming from a range of backgrounds and having active roles within the community, including 2 Editors-in-Chief (EiCs) of microwave journals, and multiple Topic Editors and Distinguished Microwave Lecturers (DMLs), we will conclude with an interactive panel discussion reflecting upon the sustainability challenges and seeking audience interaction. The panel will be primarily driven by the audience’s questions, and will be followed by a breakout and networking time to allow the attendees to connect with the speakers.

Electromagnetic fields from low frequency to sub-mm-wave (THz) are attracting much interest for biological, healthcare and agriculture precision applications. Among them is the possibility to non-invasively analyze living organisms at various scales, from individual cells to tissues and organs, for in-vitro and in-vivo investigations. With the advent of machine-learning techniques, the intrinsic variability of living organisms can be increasingly taken into account and offer new perspectives for detection and applications. This workshop will address the latest advances in microwave, mm-wave and sub-mm-wave biosensing and probing instruments suitable for molecular-scale to organ-scale investigations during in-vitro and in-vivo studies. Accurate biological sample characterization and analysis will be highlighted with resonant or broadband approaches with respect to the target applications, with main aims of early diseases’ diagnosis and prognosis. The integration of machine-learning techniques is becoming more common in biomedical investigations and enables further advances in detection accuracy and limits. Examples will be discussed, demonstrating its undoubted interest and increased use in the near future. A large space for discussion and interactions between speakers and attendees will be kept open during the day.

This workshop discusses the implementation, configuration, and operation of a comprehensive stand-alone open-source 5G end-to-end testbed to enable 5G research, development, and prototyping. The testbed provides a 5G SA FR1 and FR3 platform based on the OAI software stack and the USRP radio, for operation both over-the-air (OTA) and via coax cable. The testbed includes the all the primary system components: the core network; the basestation (gNB); and three implementations of the handset (UE). We will discuss in detail the full procedure for building this testbed, highlight several practical use-cases, and explore troubleshooting steps.

Recently, powder-bed fusion metal additive manufacturing (AM) process has matured as a breakthrough technology for the development of RF and microwave components such as waveguides, filters as well as antennas. Additive Manufacturing of RF Waveguide Components showed several advantages over the traditional/conventional machining process especially when it comes to part weight reduction and design flexibility. Critical discussions will also cover the challenges that remain. Surface roughness, material anisotropy, and process variability can degrade RF performance if not properly managed. Standards for material characterization, dimensional accuracy, and RF testing are still evolving.

This inter-society technical panel will emphasize the urgent need for sustainable growth within the RF industry, particularly through the development of standards for measuring the carbon footprint of RF technologies. Today, the environmental impact of RF systems extends across the full lifecycle—from manufacturing processes and material usage to deployment, energy consumption, and long-term operation. However, the absence of consistent measurement frameworks makes it difficult to evaluate, compare, and ultimately reduce these impacts in a systematic way.
The panel will bring together experts from multiple societies to explore how collective action can establish widely accepted methodologies and best practices for carbon footprint assessment in RF technologies. By working across organizational boundaries, societies can not only help define these standards but also provide strategic guidance to industry, academia, and policymakers. Such efforts are critical to ensuring that sustainability becomes a foundational consideration in future RF innovations rather than an afterthought.
Ultimately, the discussion will highlight how professional societies can play a pivotal role in shaping a greener future for the RF industry—by fostering collaboration, driving standardization, and offering direction to reduce carbon emissions across both manufacturing and operational domains.

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing microwave circuit design, just as it is transforming other scientific and industrial domains. The growing number of published research papers demonstrates that the microwave community is actively embracing AI and ML across a wide spectrum of applications—from novel device modeling to virtual data generation, data management, and advanced EDA tools for circuit optimization. New commercial solutions for ML-assisted circuit design, already offer first-pass, fully automated layout generation, multi-objective optimization, and seamless multi-platform integration from device to system level. This evolving landscape suggests a progressive shift in researchers' focus from traditional design practices toward a complex interplay involving the development of custom, high-accuracy, dynamically reconfigurable models, advanced EDA algorithms, and ML workflows.
Are we ready for this revolution? Can we truly trust AI/ML-driven design? Will AI really help to uncover entirely new device concepts and circuit topologies, or will it remain a highly capable design assistant? What tools and skills are needed to become active contributors in this new paradigm?
This panel will bring together experts from foundries, model development, and EDA vendors to critically examine the pros and cons, practical implications, IP constraints and future directions of AI-assisted microwave circuit design.

This workshop focuses on leveraging phase information in RF device characterization using the Rohde & Schwarz ZN-ZCG phase reference. It is tailored for engineers, technicians, and researchers aiming to enhance measurement accuracy through advanced phase reference techniques in VNAs and VSAs/VSGs.
Accurate RF measurements extend beyond amplitude: Understanding and utilizing phase information is essential. This workshop introduces the signal comb — a versatile phase reference tool — and demonstrates how it serves as a comprehensive solution for calibration and broadband verification, improving the precision of amplitude and phase measurements in diverse RF applications.

As RF systems expand into higher frequencies and wider bandwidths, preserving signal integrity and fidelity has become a universal challenge. This panel will explore how advances in interconnects, passives, and active RF components address core engineering concerns, including minimizing loss, noise, and distortion, while optimizing SWaP-C, reliability, and repeatability. By presenting perspectives across the signal chain, the discussion will highlight real-world tradeoffs, integration challenges, and emerging technologies. Attendees will gain practical guidance on selecting, integrating, and optimizing components for next-generation, mission-critical applications in aerospace, defense, and communications, including phased array systems, space systems, and advanced microwave architectures.

In the world of the most advanced and demanding RF/mmWave integrated circuits, designers look to Synopsys, Ansys (part of Synopsys) and Keysight to outfit them with the best-in-class set of AI-driven IC design and layout, circuit simulation and EM analysis software.<br />
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In this workshop and tutorial, experts from Synopsys and Keysight will walk designers through such a flow. It starts inside Synopsys’ Custom Compiler where designers will put their ideas down on the most feature-rich yet intuitive design canvas. Synopsys’ ASO.ai is unleashing the power of AI to analog and RF/mmWave IC design. Critical signal paths and devices will be extracted and modeled by Keysight RFPro EM if the Method of Moment analysis is the most appropriate, or by Ansys’ HFSS if a full 3D Finite Element Method is the most appropriate. This workshop will explain to participants how this choice can be best made.<br />
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We will then show how Synopsys’ PrimeWave can be used to assemble the design, models, and build test benches (with Keysight’s Virtual Test Benches) as well as define critical measurements to characterize the IC. A full description of this IC will be simulated in Keysight’s Nexus or GoldeGate RFIC simulators.<br />
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For designers looking to use native capabilities in Keysight’s ADS, we will also demonstrate how a design can seamlessly work in Keysight ADS seamlessly and Synopsys’ Custom Compiler.<br />
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At the conclusion of this workshop, designers will have experienced the best flow to ensure a first-time success tape out of an RF integrated circuit.

Phased array antennas (PAA) play a crucial role in satellite communications, where circular polarization (CP) and simultaneous multiple beams are employed to enhance capacity, coverage, and reliability.
This workshop will focus on evaluating CP performance of PAAs operating in multibeam hybrid configurations, enabling independent polarizations for each beam, including left-hand circular polarization (LHCP), right-hand circular polarization (RHCP), horizontal or vertical polarization (H- or V-pol).
We will delve into the design of a PAA with 256 elements, discuss measured performance, and provide a live demonstration of how to conduct over-the-air testing using a multi-reflector compact antenna test range.