Michael Steer

Capabilities

• Technology integration
• RF and microwave system design
• Global modeling of the physical layer of RF telecommunication systems.
• RF and microwave circuit design methodology, design, and measurement.
• Spatial power combining systems.
• RF and microwave CAE including transient harmonic balance analysis and device modeling.
• Characterization of interconnects in high speed digital systems.
• Digital and analog behavioral modeling.

Facilities

NCSU 's Electronic Research Laboratory has over $7M of RF and Microwave measurement, characterization and prototyping equipment. It is one of the top four academic laboratories in the world for RF measurements with good coverage up to 110 GHZ and beyond. Limited measurements can be made to 3 3 0 GHz. Major items include two HP 8510C network analyzers one with 10 MHz to 26.5 GHz coverage and the second covering 10 MHz to 50 GHz continuous coverage. The second system is configured as a dual RF-pulsed and bias-pulsed system that can be used from 2 GHz to 50 GHz RF/DC in continuous coverage, and with external mixers and amplifiers to 330 GHz. This is a unique capability and is used in the characterization of systems where thermal and trap related phenomena are significant. Other capabilities are itemized below.  Most measurements are computer controlled using the LabView instrumentation control software. The laboratory has several major CAE tools including Agilent , Ansoft , and Sonnet tools , and SystemView. Computing facilities are centered around an 8 way pentium processor, with 8 gigabytes of memory and running Linux, with dual 100 MB/s high speed links to a dual processor 2 gigabyte system used for software development.   Highlights:

• Pulsed S-parameter measurements to 330 GHz.
• Sampling oscilloscope ( superconducting Hypres ) and TDR capability with an effective analog bandwidth of 200 GHz.
• Room temperature sampling oscilloscope with an analog bandwidth of 50 GHz. (two 50 GHz heads and 12 20 GHz heads. TDR and TDT head.
• Room temperature sampling oscilloscope with an analog bandwidth of 50 GHz. (two 50 GHz heads and 12 20 GHz heads. TDR and TDT heads.
• Parameter analyzer used in developing model parameters from measurements.
• Capacitance meter with 10 fF resolution.
• Step capability to 12 ps and three microwave signal synthesizers.
• Dual probestations, one with thermal chuck.
• High power signal amplifiers: 8–12 GHz, 1 W (TWT); 26.5–40 GHz, 3 W (TWT); 75–110 GHz, 1 W (BWA); 110–330 GHz, 100 mW (BWA + multiplier).
• Spectrum analyzer coverage to 330 GHz.
• Field Scanner, parameter analyzer, wire and ribbon bonders, milling machine for rapid prototyping.

Professional Activities

• Editor-in-Chief, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2003–2006.
• Co-Chair, University Research Committee, NCSU, 2006–present.
• Member of the University Research Committee, NCSU, 2005–2006.
• Member of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council College (UK), 2000–present.
• Member of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society Fellow Evaluation Committee, 2002–2003.
• Elected Member of the Administrative Committee of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society, 1998–2000.
• Member of the University Senate, University of Leeds, 1999–2000.
• Member of the following Editorial Boards: IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 1985–present; IEEE Microwave Magazine, 2000–present, International Journal of Microwave and Millimeter Wave Computer Aided Engineering, 1990–present; and International Journal of Numerical Modelling, 1999–present.
• Chair of the Technical Coordinating Committee of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society, 1998–2000.
• Member of the following technical committees of the Microwave Theory and Techniques Society: MTT-15 - Committee on Field Theory of the Microwave Theory and Techniques Society, 1988–Present; MTT-1 -- Committee on Computer Aided Design of the Microwave Theory and Techniques Society, 1990–Present.
• Chair of the Nonlinear Modeling subcommittee of the Technical Program Committee for the International Microwave Theory and Techniques Symposium, 1998–2003.
• Member of the following Technical Program Committees: Member of the Technical Program Committees for the following conferences: Mediterranean Microwave Symposium (MMS), 2001–present; The International Microwave Theory and Techniques Symposium, 1989–2003; International Workshop on Integrated Nonlinear Microwave and Millimeter-wave Circuits, Duisburg, 1994, 96, 98; Workshop on High Power Millimeter and Submillimeter Wave Generation, 1993; Workshop on Analog Circuit Engineering, 1990; Electronic Components and Technology Conference, 1993–5.
• Secretary of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society, 1997.
• Guest Editor, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques: Special Issue on Global Modeling, June 1999; Special Issue on Advances in RF/Microwave Power Amplification for Wireless Communications, October 2000.
• Associate Editor, IEEE Microwave Magazine, 2000–present,
• Member of the following conference Steering Committees: the International Workshop on Integrated Nonlinear Microwave and Millimeter-wave Circuits, 1994, 1996, 1998; the European MIDAS workshop series, 2000; Workshop on High Power Millimeter and Submillimeter Wave Generation, 1993.
• Member of the Scientific Committee for the following conferences: Mediterranean Microwave Symposium, 2002
• Chairman and organizer and organizer of the following workshops: Workshop on Circuit Level Design and Modeling of Quasi-optical Circuits and Systems in conjunction with the Microwave Theory and Techniques Symposium, June 1994; Workshop on High Frequency Interconnects, in conjunction with the Microwave Theory and Techniques Symposium, June 1989.
• Session chair at the following conferences: Workshop on Integrated Nonlinear Microwave and Millimeterwave Circuits, October 1998; Workshop on Integrated Nonlinear Microwave and Millimeterwave Circuits, 1996; Topical Meeting on Electrical Performance of Electronic Packaging, 1993; URSI Conference, June 1993; "Nonlinear Modeling and Analysis", International Microwave Theory and Techniques Symposium, 1990, 92, 94, 96, 98; Workshop on Integrated Nonlinear Microwave and Millimeterwave Circuit|1992; RF Expo East, November 1990; Workshop on Analog Circuit Engineering, October 1990,91; SOUTHEASTCON 1985; International Antennas and Propagation Symposium, June 1993; 43 rd Electronic Components and Technology Conference, June 1993.
• Proposal Reviewer for North Carolina Technological Development Authority 1989; National Science Foundation 1988–present; U.S. Army Research Office 1988–present.
• Member NSF Engineering Research Center Site Visit Team, 2003.
• Reviewer for Addison-Wesley Book Company 1987; Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing, 1993– present.