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Recent Development of Millimeter-Wave Technologies

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Electronic Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2026 | Viewed by 1837

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique Centre—Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications, Montréal, QC, Canada
Interests: microwave and millimeter wave circuits and systems; six-port transceivers; high-speed wireless communications; radar and imaging sensors
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Millimeter-wave frequencies, 30–300 GHz, a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum less used today, have the potential to revolutionize wireless technology. This spectrum is very attractive due to the growing demand for higher data-rates in wireless communications, high-resolution radars, joint radar and communication systems, radiometers, and other emerging sensing applications.

This Special Issue thus aims to highlight recent developments in novel technologies in this broadband RF spectrum, with a particular focus on sub-THz coverage (100 GHz–300 GHz). Contributions may cover, but are not limited to, the following areas:

  1. Novel system architectures and front-ends for various applications, as presented above;
  2. Development of integrated fabrication technologies (MMIC, MHMIC, SIW, …);
  3. Up- and down-conversion techniques: for example, the development of integrated mixers in terms of efficiency, size, conversion gain, broadband, local oscillator (LO) power reduction; 
  4. Low-noise amplifiers: noise figure reduction, power consumption, gain, etc;
  5. Broadband power detectors, filters, multipliers, phase shifters, equalizers, and other ubiquitous modules;
  6. Integrated antennas in mm wave front-ends: reduced size, efficiency, gain, directivity;
  7. Mm wave signal generation techniques: low-cost, increased efficiency, frequency accuracy, low phase-noise, etc.;
  8. LO synchronization and carrier recovery techniques;
  9. Novel modulation and demodulation techniques;
  10. Measurement techniques and equipment.

In addition to theoretical aspects and related circuit and/or system simulations, measurements on fabricated prototypes are welcomed.

Prof. Dr. Serioja Ovidiu Tatu
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • millimeter-waves
  • integrated circuits
  • front-ends
  • passive and active mm wave circuits
  • mixers
  • mm wave signal generation
  • modulation and demodulation techniques
  • measurement equipment and techniques
  • mm wave communications
  • MIMO antennas
  • millimetre-wave sensing and imaging
  • use of AI in mm wave system design

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 3942 KB  
Article
Design of a W-Band Low-Voltage TWT Utilizing a Spoof Surface Plasmon Polariton Slow-Wave Structure and Dual-Sheet Beam
by Gangxiong Wu, Ruirui Jiang and Jin Shi
Sensors 2025, 25(18), 5641; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25185641 - 10 Sep 2025
Viewed by 252
Abstract
This paper presents a W-band low-voltage traveling-wave tube (TWT) incorporating a spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) slow-wave structure (SWS) and a dual-sheet beam. The SSPP-based SWS adopts a periodic double-F-groove configuration, which provides strong field localization, increases the interaction impedance, and reduces the [...] Read more.
This paper presents a W-band low-voltage traveling-wave tube (TWT) incorporating a spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) slow-wave structure (SWS) and a dual-sheet beam. The SSPP-based SWS adopts a periodic double-F-groove configuration, which provides strong field localization, increases the interaction impedance, and reduces the phase velocity, thereby enabling a low synchronization voltage. Owing to its symmetric open geometry, the SWS naturally forms a dual-sheet beam tunnel, which enhances the effective beam current without increasing the aperture size. Eigenmode calculations indicate that, within the 92–97 GHz band, the normalized phase velocity is between 0.198 and 0.208, and the interaction impedance exceeds 2.65 Ω. Moreover, an energy-coupling structure was developed to ensure efficient signal transmission. Three-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations predict a peak output power of 366.1 W and an electronic efficiency of 6.15% at 95.5 GHz for a 2 × 250 mA dual-sheet beam at 11.9 kV, with stable amplification and without self-oscillation observed. The proposed low-voltage, high-efficiency W-band TWT offers a manufacturable and easily integrable solution for next-generation millimeter-wave systems, supporting high-capacity wireless backhaul, airborne communication, radar imaging, and sensing platforms where compactness and reduced power-supply demands are critical. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Development of Millimeter-Wave Technologies)
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21 pages, 6275 KB  
Article
Design of a Low-Cost Flat E-Band Down-Converter with Variable Conversion Gain
by Mehrdad Harifi-Mood, Mansoor Dashti Ardakani, Djilali Hammou, Emilia Moldovan, Bryan Hosein and Serioja O. Tatu
Sensors 2025, 25(17), 5492; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25175492 - 3 Sep 2025
Viewed by 843
Abstract
This paper presents the design and implementation of a wideband diode-based down-converter operating from 60 to 90 GHz with a variable flat conversion gain. The proposed down-converter is implemented utilizing the Miniature Hybrid-Microwave Integrated Circuit (MHMIC) technology. It is composed of a wideband [...] Read more.
This paper presents the design and implementation of a wideband diode-based down-converter operating from 60 to 90 GHz with a variable flat conversion gain. The proposed down-converter is implemented utilizing the Miniature Hybrid-Microwave Integrated Circuit (MHMIC) technology. It is composed of a wideband double-balanced mixer, a Local Oscillator (LO) chain, and a differential TransImpedance Amplifier (TIA) with a variable gain. The designed mixer uses a novel topology exhibiting minimum reflection and high isolation between the RF and LO ports across a wide operating frequency of 30 GHz. In this topology, two balanced detectors generate the differential IF signal with minimum reflection. The characteristic impedance (Z0) of the mixer is set to be 70.7Ω, to minimize trace widths to reduce the mutual coupling and increasing the bandwidth. The OPA 657 is the core of the designed differential TIA with a variable gain. In addition, the LO chain of the down-converter utilized a combination of an active (×2) and a passive (×3) multiplier to generate enough RF power in the desired frequency range. Also, a WR-12 waveguide to Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) transition is designed for the RF and LO ports that operates through the E-band. The proposed down-converter demonstrates excellent performance, with a high isolation between RF and LO ports exceeding 22 dB and a maximum conversion gain of 5 dB, and a response with a variation of ±5 dB across the band. The proposed mixer exhibits a return loss of better than 10 dB at both RF and LO ports, and it consumes a power of 560 mW. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Development of Millimeter-Wave Technologies)
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13 pages, 4732 KB  
Article
A Compact and Wideband Active Asymmetric Transmit Array Unit Cell for Millimeter-Wave Applications
by Fahad Ahmed, Noureddine Melouki, Peyman PourMohammadi, Hassan Naseri and Tayeb A. Denidni
Sensors 2025, 25(16), 5168; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25165168 - 20 Aug 2025
Viewed by 530
Abstract
This study presents a compact reconfigurable asymmetric unit cell designed for millimeter-wave (mm-wave) transmit array (TA) antennas. Despite its compact size, the proposed unit cell achieves a broad bandwidth and low insertion loss. By breaking the symmetry of the unit cell and by [...] Read more.
This study presents a compact reconfigurable asymmetric unit cell designed for millimeter-wave (mm-wave) transmit array (TA) antennas. Despite its compact size, the proposed unit cell achieves a broad bandwidth and low insertion loss. By breaking the symmetry of the unit cell and by implementing two MA4AGP910 pin diodes in the proposed unit cell, a phase difference of 180 degrees (1-bit configuration) is obtained in a wide frequency band. The unit cell is fabricated using an LPKF laser machine and characterized using WR-34 waveguide. Measurement results closely match those obtained by simulations, confirming the design’s accuracy. With these functionalities, the proposed 1-bit unit cell emerges as a promising candidate for mm-wave transmit array antennas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Development of Millimeter-Wave Technologies)
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