Breaking Lorentz Reciprocity: From Physics to New Wireless Communication Paradigms
Thursday, Jan. 18, 11:45 a.m.
Larsen 310
Negar Reiskarimian is a fifth year Ph.D. candidate in Electrical Engineering at Columbia University in the City of New York.
Abstract
Lorentz reciprocity is a fundamental characteristic of the vast majority of electronic and photonic structures. However, breaking reciprocity enables the realization of non-reciprocal components, such as isolators and circulators, which are critical to electronic and optical communication systems, as well as new components and functionalities based on novel wave propagation modes. In this talk, I will present a novel approach to break Lorentz reciprocity based on linear periodically-time-varying (LPTV) circuits. We have demonstrated the world’s first CMOS passive magnetic-free non-reciprocal circulator through spatio-temporal conductivity modulation Since conductivity in semiconductors can be modulated over a much wider range than the more traditionally exploited permittivity, our structure is able to break reciprocity within a compact form factor with very low loss and high linearity. I will further discuss some of the fundamental limits of space-time modulated nonreciprocal structures, as well as new directions to build non-reciprocal components which can ideally be infinitesimal in size.
One of the emerging applications of non-reciprocity is within the next generation of wireless communication networks or “5G”. Enabling these technologies requires a re-evaluation and redesign of various layers of the communication system, from the PHY layer all the way up to the application layer. In the case of the PHY layer, conventional reciprocal antenna interfaces impose fundamental limitations on the radio front-end design. I will also present our recent efforts on designing full-duplex systems using integrated antenna interfaces.
Looking to the future, I am broadly interested in exploring novel fundamental physical concepts that have strong engineering applications. I wish to work in an interdisciplinary area between integrated circuit design and closely related fields such as applied physics, applied electromagnetics and nanophotonics, and to identify and investigate ideas and concepts that can best be implemented using the semiconductor platform. Finally, I will share with you some examples of the exciting research directions I would like to pursue with the aim of participating in building the next generation of technologies that augment human lives.
Biography
Negar Reiskarimian is currently a fifth year Ph.D. candidate in Electrical Engineering at Columbia University in the City of New York. She received her Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree from Columbia University in May 2017 and her M.Sc. and B.Sc. Degrees in Microelectronic Circuits and Telecommunications from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, in 2013 and 2011.
Negar is a member of CoSMIC (Columbia high-Speed and Mm-wave IC) Lab where she works under the supervision of Prof. Harish Krishnaswamy as a graduate research assistant.
Her research interests span integrated circuits and systems, applied electromagnetics and nanophotonics, with a focus on theory, design and experimental validation of analog, radio-frequency (RF), millimeter-Wave (mm-Wave) and optical integrated circuits, metamaterials and systems for a variety of applications such as emerging wireless communications paradigms, Internet of Things (IoT), imaging, sensing and opto/bio-electronics.
She is also a member of the FlexICoN (Full-duplex Wireless: From Integrated Circuits to Networks) project where she is working on novel antenna interfaces for full-duplex wireless.