Lazzi, Gianluca North Carolina State
Most wireless communication systems currently employ arrays of single- or dual-polarized antenna elements, each which is capable of measuring at most two components of the electromagnetic signal. Recent results in communication theory suggest that, in a rich scattering environment, the capacity of wireless links can be dramatically improved by employing co-located, co-polarized antennas that can detect and excite additional components of the electromagnetic field.
Intellectual Merit: The aim of this project is to improve the performance of wireless communications through the use of arrays of vector sensors that can detect or excite up to 6 components of the underlying electromagnetic field. This project is an interdisciplinary effort between radio frequency antenna design and communication theory. Four main issues are addressed: (a) a new class of compact, planar vector-sensor antennas suitable for wireless communication, (b) new computational tools for accurately predicting the performance of such antennas, (c) an information-theoretic study of the capacity of vector-sensor communication systems, in order to quantify their advantages and extract insights into array design, and (d) new modulation, error-control coding, and receiver architectures that exploit the additional information provided by these antennas. The ultimate goal of this work is to more fully exploit the potential of wireless radio channels, and in the process reduce the power and bandwidth requirements of wireless communication.
Broader Impact: This project is a joint effort between two investigators with established track records in antennas and wireless communication and a successful history of collaboration. This research will have a direct impact on our undergraduate and graduate students by exposing them to an interdisciplinary view of antenna design and wireless communications, seen as an indivisible concept rather than as separate engineering disciplines. This activity further has the potential to significantly impact the next generation of commercial wireless systems, by offering new approaches to reducing power and bandwidth requirements, and by generating a wealth of new concepts in antenna and communication system design.
