A research group from the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin has developed a smaller, lighter and cheaper radio wave circulator for wireless devices. Researchers believe this device could transform telecommunications.
Typically, radio wave devices are produced of magnetic materials, which are usually heavy, expensive and large. The circulator this research group developed is magnetic free, giving it a smaller footprint while using more common and less expensive materials. The prototype circulator is also a small 2 centimeters in size.
Materials such as gold, silicon and copper were used in the design of the circulator. “These cost and size efficiencies could lead to the integration of circulators within cellphones and other microelectronic systems, resulting in substantially faster downloads, fewer dropped calls and significantly clearer communications,” according to researchers.
“We are changing the paradigm with which isolation and two-way transmission on the same frequency channel can be achieved. We have built a circulator that does not need magnets or magnetic materials,” Andrea Alu, associate professor at the University of Texas, said.
Another beneficial feature of the circulator is its ability to be tuned in real time over a large range of frequencies. “With this technology, we can incorporate tunable nonreciprocal components in mobile platforms. In doing so, we may pave the way to simultaneous two-way communication in the same frequency band, which can free up chunks of bandwidth for more effective use,” Nicholas Estep, lead researcher, said.
Because this new circulator is small and light-weight, it is capable of being placed in wireless devices. Researchers also believe it would be beneficial to include this circulator in radar systems for aircraft, ships and satellites to lessen the weight and size.
