PRISM Seminar Series –Spring 2009
Emerging Technologies for RF Miniaturization
Dr. Christopher D. Nordquist
Sandia National Laboratories
RF/Optoelectronic Microsystems Technology Department

Bio:
Christopher D. Nordquist is a Principal Member of Technical Staff in the RF/Optoelectronic Microsystems Technology Department at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM. He received BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, where he was supported by an NDSEG Fellowship to investigate microassembly techniques for heterogeneous integration of compound semiconductors onto silicon for multifunction integrated circuits. His current research focuses on the application of microfabrication and microassembly towards the realization of reconfigurable and multifunction RF and microwave circuits, including phase shifters, reconfigurable amplifiers, and tunable filters and antennas. Additional interests include compound semiconductor devices, THz technologies, and 3D heterogeneous integration. He is a member of the IEEE Electron Device and Microwave Theory and Techniques Societies and has authored or coauthored over 30 conference and journal papers.

Abstract:
As new communication protocols and wireless services emerge, RF systems must support multiple frequencies, bandwidths, and functions while continuing to shrink in size, weight, and power. To enable this trend, Sandia is investigating a broad range of RF microsystemtechnologies for miniaturizing RF functions. This presentation will provide a broad overview of Sandia’sefforts in compound semiconductor electronics, optoelectronic signal processing, tunable dielectrics, and THz components, with a detailed discussion of Sandia’sRF MEMS switch and microresonatortechnologies. RF MEMS technologies enable miniature timedelay elements, filter banks, reconfigurable filters, tunable amplifiers, and tunable antennas with performance superior to other technologies. The presentation will discuss these types of components, their expected impact on RF systems, and current challenges in technology maturation and system integration.