Metasurfaces : Unlocking the Potential of Metasurfaces in Sub-THz Electromagnetic Environments

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Metasurfaces : Unlocking the Potential of Metasurfaces in Sub-THz Electromagnetic Environments

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Offer DescriptionCall for expression of interest descriptionThe is a highly prestigious renowned EU-funded scheme. It offers talented scientists a unique chance to set up 2-year research and training projects with the support of a supervising team. Besides providing an attractive grant, it represents a major opportunity to boost the career of promising researchers.Research laboratories in Brittany arethus looking for excellent postdoctoral researchers with an international profile to write a persuasive proposal to apply for a Marie S. Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship grant in 2024 (deadline of the EU call set on 11 September 2024). The topic and research team presented below have been identified in this regard.Main Research FieldInformation Science and Engineering (ENG)Research sub-field(s)Communication technology, high-frequency technology(Micro- and nano-) electronic, optoelectronic and photonic componentsKeywordsAntennas, metasurfaces, millimeter-waves, radiofrequency, sub-Terahertz and TerahertzResearch project descriptionContext: A more efficient use of licensed spectrum will not suffice to reach the predicted data rates and ways forward at sub-terahertz (sub-THz) frequencies (above 100 GHz) are under study [1]. More precisely, the 275-350 GHz band (already standardized by IEEE) exploits an atmospheric transmission window with attenuation
10 dB/Km [1] and spans a total bandwidth that allows one to attain huge capacities with simple modulation schemes. Therefore, the use of sub-THz bands will be crucial to enable ultra-large BW wireless, with seamless connectivity to the core network and the cloud.Despite exploiting atmospheric transmission windows, sub-THz wireless links must compensate the relatively low power provided by room-temperature sources and the free-space propagation losses [1]. High-gain antennas and smart electromagnetic environments are thus needed to minimize the amount of power radiated into directions in which it will not be received. Besides satisfying the link budget and providing broad bandwidths, RF front-ends must be amenable for integration on the chassis of vehicles, in smart urban furniture, and on buildings and rooms’ walls. To that end, individual sensors and instruments must be replaced by ultra-thin, surface-based, functional systems equivalent to smart skins. Currently, this change of paradigm is mostly impaired by the use of bulky antenna topologies, like reflectors or lenses.Objective: In this context, the main objective of this project will be to leverage the advantages offered by modulated metasurfaces (MTSs) to provide ultra-thin, broad-band and directive antennas at J-band (220-325 GHz) [1]. This constitutes a new approach for the design of high-gain antennas in the sub-THz range. This class of antenna can provide high gains with ultra-thin structures and a very simple feeding scheme, which constitutes a major advantage for sub-THz architectures. Their main drawback is a relatively narrow BW in gain, which has so far precluded their use for broadband applications (wideband sensing, 5G communications, etc.).The Postdoctoral fellow will build on our previous experience on broadband and multi-band metasurface antennas [2]-[3] to deal with this crucial issue. To overcome the physical bounds in the gain-BW product of single-port MTS antennas, we will explore MTS apertures, with a limited number of input ports, through which we can sense the electromagnetic environment. Programmable MTSs will be also considered in the framework of the project in order to adapt to changing scenarios. The work will involve numerical modeling, design, fabrication, and testing.[1] T. Nagatsuma, G. Ducournau, and C. Renaud, “Advances in terahertz communications accelerated by photonics” Nature Photon., 10, 371-379 (2016).[2] M. Faenzi, D. González-Ovejero, and S. Maci, “Wideband active region metasurface antennas,” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 68(3), 1261-1272 (2020).[3] M. Faenzi, D. González-Ovejero, and S. Maci, “Overlapped and sequential metasurface modulations for bi-chromatic beams generation”, Appl. Phys. Lett., 118, 181902, (2021).Supervisor(s)The Postdoctoral Fellow will be supervised by Dr. David González Ovejero and Prof. Ronan Sauleau.Dr. González Ovejero ( ) has been a tenured principal investigator at IETR ( ) with the French National Research Council (CNRS) since 2017. His research interests focus on computational electromagnetics, metasurface beamformers, antennas, lenses, millimeter-wave, and submillimeter-wave antennas. He has co-supervised 3 post-doctoral fellows and 5 Ph.D. students. He has co-authored 45 international journal papers and serves as an associate editor for the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation and the IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology.Prof. Sauleau ( ) is a full professor at the IETR ( ), Université de Rennes. His research interests include millimeter-wave beam steering antennas, substrate integrated waveguide antennas, lens-based focusing devices, periodic and non-periodic structures (FSS, metasurfaces, polarizers, reflectarrays, and transmitarrays), and beamforming networks. He has co-supervised 30 post-doctoral fellows and more than 60 PhD students. He holds 25 patents and is the author or coauthor of more than 300 international journal papers. He has been involved in more than 80 research projects at the national and European levels. He is an IEEE Fellow.

• C. Bilitos, X. Morvan, E. Martini, R. Sauleau, S. Maci and D. González-Ovejero, “Broadband reflecting Luneburg lenses based on bed-of-nails metasurfaces,” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 72, no. 2, pp. 1923-1928, Feb. 2024
• A. Mahmoud, J. Ruiz-García, O. de Sagazan, M. Ettorre, R. Sauleau and D. González-Ovejero, “Low-cost and low-Profile Sub-Terahertz Luneburg Lens Beamformer on Polymer,” IEEE Antennas Wireless Propag. Lett., vol. 22, no. 6, pp. 1411-1415, Jun. 2023
• D. González-Ovejero, G. Minatti, G. Chattopadhyay and S. Maci, “Multibeam by metasurface antennas,” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 65, no. 6, pp. 2923-2930, Jun. 2017.

Department/ResearchResearch axis of the laboratory: i) micro-technologies, materials and sensors, ii) antennas and complex radiating systems, iii) complex interactions of waves with matter and living organisms, iv) propagation and radar technologies, detection, location, v) communication systems, digital networks and equipment, vi) smart embedded, reliable and flexible intelligents systems, vii) image processing, video codec, and artificial intelligence, viii) control science for energy transition.Department: Antennas and Microwave Devices DepartmentTeam: SUMIT (Sub-millimeter and Millimeter wave Antennas), which focuses on antenna arrays (passive, reconfigurable, beam steering, etc.), millimeter and THz waves, metasurfaces, periodic and non-periodic structures (transmit-arrays, frequency selective surfaces, polarizers, wide angle impedance matching, etc.), mm-wave and photonic beamformers.Facilities: characterization of antenna systems from MHz to up to 750 GHz (6 anechoic chambers, 2 compact antenna test ranges), mechanics and micro-mechanics (CNC machines, EDM, 3D printing), PCB fabrication (laser ablation, micro-milling, chemical etching), 120 m² of clean rooms for micro- and nano-machining and microelectronic devices on Silicon, glass, plastics, etc.Our team is involved in many collaborative projects with the national (CNES) and European (ESA) space agencies and with companies. The most relevant ongoing projects are listed below.Ongoing European projects in our team:

• Flexible InteligenT NEar-field Sensing Skins (FITNESS)
• Innovating New Space Frontiers: Harmonised Federated And Fractionated Systems Unlocking Fresh Perspectives For Satellite Services (HARMONY).

Ongoing National projects in our team:

• Aperiodic bROadband Metasurface Antennas (AROMA)

, * Sustainable smart Antenna architecture for Green high-cApaCITY wireless access (SAGACITY)
, * Functionalized radome based on graded index metamaterial-based enabled by 3D-printing (ALADDIN)ALADDINWebsite of the laboratory:Website of the research team:LocationCampus de Beaulieu, 35042, Rennes, FranceSuggestion for interdisciplinary / intersectoral secondments and placementsThis opportunity will be considered depending on the applicant’s profile and the orientation of the research project.RequirementsResearch Field Engineering Education Level PhD or equivalentSkills/QualificationsPublications: in total at least 3 or 4 peer-reviewed papers in journals in the first quartile (Q1).Desired background: antenna theory, microwave engineering, computational electromagnetics, antenna arrays, periodic structures, millimeter-waves and/or Terahertz radiation.Desired specific skills: Programming (Matlab or Python), commercial softwares (HFSS, CST, or COMSOL).Required language skills: Proficiency in written and spoken English (knowledge of French is not required).Languages ENGLISH Level ExcellentResearch Field EngineeringAdditional InformationEligibility criteriaAcademic qualification: By 11 September 2024, applicants must bein possession of a doctoral degree, defined as a successfully defended doctoral thesis, even if the doctoral degree has yet to be awarded.Research experience: Applicants must have a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research, measured from the date applicants were in possession of a doctoral degree. Years of experience outside research and career breaks (e.g. due to parental leave), will not be taken into account.Nationality & Mobility rules:Applicants can be of any nationality but must not have resided more than 12 months in France in the 36 months immediately prior to the MSCA-PF call deadline on 11 September 2024.Selection processWe encourage all motivated and eligible postdoctoral researchers to send their expressions of interest through the EU Survey application form ( ), before 5th of May 2024. Your application shall include:

• a CV specifying: (i) the exact dates for each position and its location (country) and (ii) a list of publications;

• a cover letter including a research outline (up to 2 pages) identifying the research synergies with the project supervisor(s) and proposed research topics described above.

Estimated timetableDeadline for sending an expression of interest5th May 2024Selection of the most promising application(s)May – June 2024Writing the MSCA-PF proposal with the support of the above-mentioned supervisor(s)June – September 2024MSCA-PF 2024 call deadline11th September 2024Publication of the MSCA-PF evaluation resultsFebruary 2025Start of the MSCA-PF project (if funded)May 2025 (at the earliest)Website for additional job detailsWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute CNRS Country France City Rennes Postal Code 35000 Street 263, avenue du Général Leclerc GeofieldWhere to apply WebsiteContact State/ProvinceBrittany CityRennes WebsiteStreet11D, 263 Av. du Général Leclerc Postal Code35700 E-Mail[email protected]STATUS: EXPIRED

Expected salary

Location

Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine

Job date

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 03:15:28 GMT

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