An innovative microwave design and measurements laboratory for undergraduates is being developed. This laboratory facility and its associated laboratory course is a highly multidisciplinary project that draws upon the fundamentals of semiconductor device physics, electromagnetic field theory, electronic circuit design, and communication system design. By integrating these four major areas into one laboratory course, this project directly addresses one of the most pressing problems in engineering education, the tendency of students to view their coursework as a collection of narrow specialties rather than an integrated whole. This course, in which the students will design, fabricate, test, and analyze microwave circuitry for wireless communication systems, will cut across these traditional areas of specialty and provide a broad based educational opportunity. State-of-the-art computer aided design and simulation software, coupled with modern computer-controlled microwave measurement equipment, will enable the students to learn the intricacies of microwave circuit design and testing while at the same time strengthening their grasp of the fundamentals of semiconductor device operation, electromagnetic field theory, and circuit design. The course will be taught in a full-time laboratory setting, with student measurements and demonstrations in every class meeting to infuse the students with enthusiasm for this exciting area of work.
