Major Research Instrumentation Grant from National Science Foundation

 

 

 

 

 

In the summer of 2003, Dr.Prasad N.Shastry (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Brian D.Huggins (Co-Principal Investigator), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, obtained a $265,500 Microwave Research Instrumentation Acquisition grant from National Science Foundation under NSF's Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant program.Bradley University contributed an additional $18,192 to this grant.

 

NSF’s MRI Grant program is very competitive, and the applicants included major research institutions in the country. Bradley’s proposal was among the 43 proposals assigned to review panels of NSF's Electrical and Communication Systems Division. This is a significant accomplishment for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and College of Engineering and Technology.

 

 

The grant money has been used to purchase: 1) Microwave Integrated Circuit Wafer Probe Station, 2) Microwave Network Analyzer. The Wafer Probe Station and Network Analyzer are being used for tests and measurements of Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs). MMICs are critical components in wireless systems such as GPS, Cellular Phones, Bluetooth devices, Wireless PDAs, and Wi-Fi enabled Laptop Computers.

 

The acquisition of the equipment has immensely enhanced the capabilities to design and test MMICs and hence to attract externally funded research projects in the area of Microwave and Wireless Engineering at Bradley University. The equipment purchased using the grant money consists of sophisticated, high performance, and state-of-the-art instruments. Such equipment is found only in major research universities and major microwave engineering companies in the country.

 

A new Advanced Microwave Engineering Laboratory consisting of Wafer Probe Station and Network Analyzer has been established on the second floor of Jobst Hall in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The laboratory is being used for research, research training of students, and teaching.

 

Currently, MMICs supplied by Northrop Grumman Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and TLC Precision Wafer Technology, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, are being tested in the laboratory. A collaborative project with TLC Precision Wafer Technology, Inc. to design a MMIC power amplifier is in progress.

 

A collaborative research contract with Mini Circuits, Inc., New York, and TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc., Hillsboro, Oregon, to develop a broadband MMIC power amplifier is being negotiated.

 

For more information about this grant, the Microwave and Wireless Engineering program as well as the laboratory facilities please visit: http://cegt201.bradley.edu/rfpage.