The Microwave and Antenna Engineering Group at Heriot-Watt University is a research unit of international excellence fostering industrially-driven world-class research excellence and skill development to accelerate the adoption of advanced front end solutions in emerging high frequency electronic systems and applications.
The scientific activities within the group focus on leading state of the art developments in the following areas:
- Radio systems for emerging space missions
- Wireless power transmission and charging
- 5G communications and beyond
- Physical-layer wireless security
- Automotive sensors
- RF components and systems for defense
- Additively manufactured (3D/inkjet printed) RF components and sensors
- Energy efficient nonlinear circuits, power amplifiers, frequency generation and translation
The Microwave and Antenna Engineering Group is also driven by the industrial needs and provides competitive technological advantages in key areas that include:
- System-informed RF subsystem and antenna design and evaluation
- Antennas and components for space (space and ground segment)
- Active and passive sensing (radar and RFID)
- Power amplifiers, frequency generation and translation
- Sensors
The group was established in 1971 by Prof. Joseph Helszjan and Prof. Alan Sangster who delivered key innovations in areas that include ferrite circulators as well as travelling wave antennas. Our present interests rests in the development of radio technologies for satellite systems, broadband communications and IoT. We have expertise in the development and characterisation of microwave components such as planar and cavity microwave filters, compact reconfigurable and reflector antennas, RF nonlinear & active circuits and MMIC. We are also integrating radio subsystems and innovate on the interface of the radio front-end with the digital physical layer. Over the past few years we have innovated with aforementioned radio technologies in areas that include satellite communication systems, radar and IoT. Our research spans widely across the Technology Readiness Level scale, from fundamental innovations to system integration & strong engagement with a wide range of industrial partners.