ANTENNA RESEARCH LABORATORY

 

Villanova’s Antenna Research Lab offers state-of-the-art measurement capabilities that exist at only a handful of universities in the United States. Its indoor facility, which includes a 29’ x 27’ x 28’ anechoic chamber (compact range) capable of fully automated high-quality pattern and gain measurements from 2-75 GHz, is equipped with the latest antenna and microwave design and measurement tools. The test facilities also include a planar near-field antenna test system from 500 MHz - 10 GHz. In addition, Villanova has teamed with Naval Sea Systems Command, NAVSEA-Philadelphia, to extend the capabilities of ARL to include accurate radar cross-section (RCS) measurements.

Current research areas include:

  • Low-profile, electrically small and reconfigurable antennas
  • Ultra-wideband antennas
  • Metamaterial surfaces and media
  • Through-the-wall microwave imaging
  • Millimeter-wave scale-model measurement
  • Design automation and optimization using evolutionary computational techniques

Measurement Facilities

ORBIT / FR Compact Range Serrated Reflector (AL-22404-AL):

  • Agilent E8364C Precision Network Analyzer and Data Acquisition System, 2-50GHz
  • Agilent N5260A Millimeter-Wave Controller with 50-75GHz Waveguide Heads
  • Orbit/FR 959 Spectrum Antenna Measurement
  • Orbit/FR AL-360-1P Polarization Positioner and Orbit/FR 4806 Controller 6 axis
  • Orbit/FR AL-4273-1 Elevation over Azimuth Positioner

ORBIT / FR Near Field AL-4951-1-5.5-5.5-V Planar Scanner:

  • HP8510C Network Analyzer and Data Acquisition System, 0.5-10GHz
  • HP 85301C Antenna Measurement System
  • HP 8530A microwave receiver, 8511B frequency converter and HP 83631B source (0.045-50GHz)
  • Orbit/FR 959 Spectrum Antenna Measurement Workstation
  • Orbit/FR Planar Scanner, 5.5ft X by 5.5ft Y by 10in Z by Roll travel

Computer Facilities and Electromagnetic CAD Tool

Computer facilities available for research in the antenna laboratory include a network of 9 sun Ultra 10 and Pentium II and III NT workstations. In addition, these laboratories are networked through a T3 line to the ECE department's network of more than 60 Sun Ultra research workstations, as well as to the College of Engineering network of about 150 NT workstations, and the university's network of mainframe computers.

The available computational software packages in the antenna laboratory include various commercial electromagnetic simulators and antenna CAD tools, as well as numerical codes developed in-house at the ARL. In particular, the electromagnetic simulation codes available for research include:

  • XFDTDTM, for finite-difference time-domain modeling of arbitrary 3-D structures
  • EnsembleTM for method of moments modeling of planar microstrip radiating structures
  • IE3DTM for method of moments modeling of 3-D microstrip circuits and antennas
  • MomentumTM for method of moments modeling of planar microstrip structures
  • SonnetTM for method of moments modeling of 3-D planar circuits
  • Numerical Electromagnetic Code (NEC) for simulation of wire-mesh modeling of conducting structures
  • High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSSTM) for finite element modeling of arbitrary 3-D structures
  • Various FDTD and MOM based simulation codes for antennas developed in-house at the Antenna Research Laboratory at Villanova.

Dr. Ahmad Hoorfar
Director of Graduate Studies

CAC RESEARCHERS

CAC NEWS

Dr. Moeness Amin, Director

Dr. Amin’s 800 Publications Pass 20,000 Citations with H-Index of 72

Dr. Moeness Amin, director of Villanova University's Center for Advanced Communications, reached an important milestone in his three decades of research and scholarship. His published work, which includes more than 250 journal papers and 550 conference papers, all while at Villanova, has exceeded 20,000 citations with an H-index of 72.

Dr.. Robert Caverly

Professor Robert Caverly, PhD, Named Recipient of 2020 Outstanding Faculty Research Award

Dr. Robert Caverly, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Microwave and Electromagnetics Laboratory was recognized for his impressive scholarship and reputation in microwave control circuitry. The award recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates the highest standards of excellence in research, scholarship and contributions to their field.

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