Terahertz and millimeter-wave technology focus of new Agilent, UC Davis DMRC center

Santa Clara and Davis, CA--To focus on advancing technology in millimeter-wave and terahertz (THz) systems for radar, imaging systems, sensors, communications, and integrated passive devices found in electromagnetic metamaterials and antennae, Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A) and the University of California, Davis, are establishing the Davis Millimeter Wave Research Center (DMRC). Claudia Morain, news service director at UC Davis, says that in addition to the support provided by UC Davis, DMRC attracts funding support from the federal government, international research institutes, industry partners, and State of California matching funds for industry collaboration (see www.ece.ucdavis.edu/dmrc/sponsors/ for more information).

The DMRC is a vertically integrated industry-university cooperative research program involving devices, integrated circuits, packaging, metamaterials, imaging systems, THz vacuum electronics, THz micro-machined devices, nonlinear modeling, nanomaterials, and wireless implantable devices. Applications for these technologies include commercial products such as medical imaging systems, security scanners, gigabit wireless communications devices, and sensors, as well as defense applications such as radar and active denial systems (non-lethal directed-energy weapons).

The first aim of the new center is to establish a core test facility with measurement capabilities that include Agilent nonlinear vector network and spectrum analysis test equipment up to 325 GHz. These facilities will support gigabit wireless communications at 60 GHz and 80 GHz, as well as the imaging, radar, and active denial systems to 325 GHz.

"Agilent is delighted to support UC Davis' research into millimeter wave technology," said Gregg Peters, VP of Agilent's Component Test Division. "Millimeter wave implementation has broad industry impact, and our many first-to-market test solutions are ideal tools for revealing the information critical to their work."

SOURCE: Agilent; www.agilent.com/about/newsroom/presrel/2011/02aug-em11082.html