Micro and nano-systems for RF permits the development of miniature, integrated micro and nanocomponents for flexible front ends. Some components are reaching technology maturity and industrial

applications are emerging, like tuners for cell phones. In the coming years, these devices will allow the design of linear, low loss tunable passive circuits, and will be key components for future reconfigurable

circuits. The successful integration of tuners into cell phones results in simplification of front ends, with better performances and greater flexibility. These changes will impact all RF communications systems and the investigation of innovative communication components will be an area of very active research in the coming years.

These technologies are mainly based on RF-MEMS [42]ferroelectric materials based tunable capacitors and recently on phase change materials. The development of innovative building blocks will permit new

communication principles, based on direct modulation, and direct-digital-to-RF transmission systems. For instance, the integration of high power, fast tuning band-pass filters and high power Digital-to-Analog- Converters enable the advent of ultra secure wireless communication links. These communication links combine long range, since they are high power, and immunity to jamming and eavesdrop, since they do not have fixed frequency characteristics. The use of non-linearity in micro and nano-resonators has also permitted the development of ultra low phase noise oscillators. These new principles allow for ultra compact, efficient signal sources.

PhD Position open

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