The region’s first Antenna Anechoic Chamber is being established to facilitate collaboration among companies, researchers, and students

The Antenna Anechoic Chamber, designed for testing and measuring the real properties of antennas and other devices utilizing electromagnetic waves in radio communications, radar systems, and mobile technologies, is being constructed at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (FEI) of VSB-TUO as part of the REFRESH project. Experts anticipate that this chamber, which has been absent in North and Central Moravia, will foster closer partnerships with industry and promote advancements in research and development. The CZK 17 million facility is set to become fully operational at the start of next year and will be integrated into the newly established  Antenna  Anechoic Chamber and EMC Laboratory, which is unique in the country.

“The AntennaAnechoic Chamberwill facilitate measuring radiation characteristics for electronic components or functional units operating at frequencies up to 44 GHz. This specialized equipment will foster collaboration with local companies that currently have to go outside the region for similar measurements. Additionally, it is expected to lead to participation in national and international projects, as well as provide opportunities for experimental verification of new findings and designs, which will be reflected in publications,” stated Marek Dvorsky from FEI. In the REFRESH project, the chamber will play a vital role in IoT and 5/6G network research. The faculty also intends to incorporate the AntennaAnechoic Chamberinto the curriculum for the Communication and Information Technologies study programme and to utilize it for student thesis projects.

Companies are increasingly seeking collaborative opportunities as new technologies emerge in this sector. “New frequencies are being unveiled, innovative technologies are arising, and it is essential to validate their properties regarding electromagnetic compatibility, among other factors. Manufacturers are keen to understand the characteristics of their products. The AntennaAnechoic Chamberenables us to encompass the entire spectrum of antenna systems engineering—from initial design, modeling, and property simulation at supercomputer facilities using software like CST Studio or Ansys, to the production and validation of their real parameters in our newly constructed chamber. REFRESH aims to create new collaborative opportunities with companies and bolster economic activities. The AntennaAnechoic Chamberrepresents one of our initiatives to foster partnerships with industrial entities in the development of antenna systems for various electronic devices and to encourage further collaboration within this field,” stated Miroslav Voznak from FEI.

The frequency range up to 44 GHz encompasses not only currently utilized technologies but also includes millimeter waves, which are anticipated to play a more prominent role in mobile networks. “For instance, three decades ago, the first generation of mobile networks in Europe operated on the 450 MHz frequency band; today, we have advanced to 3.5 – 3.8 GHz in 5G networks, while there’s also significant potential for millimeter waves (mmW) that can extend up to 300 GHz. Our faculty was the first in the country to implement 5G mmW technology at 27 GHz with a frequency bandwidth of 800 MHz in early 2022. Although mmW is not yet utilized in mobile networks in the Czech Republic, countries like Japan, Korea, and the USA routinely employ them in densely populated urban areas. These technologies have emerged as a response to the growing density of base stations and the increasing frequency ranges being used, allowing for broader bandwidths to meet users’ escalating demands for transmission speeds. Therefore, we are also planning ahead to ensure we are prepared for these future technologies,” Voznak noted.

Anechoic chambers are designed to reduce the reflections of electromagnetic waves from their inner walls, featuring absorbers that attenuate these waves. The anechoic chamber at the FEI will measure eight meters in length and 3.5 meters in height. In addition, the new laboratory will be outfitted with advanced technological equipment for measuring electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). This will include a GTEM chamber for radiated interference assessments, a workstation for measuring radiation across a network (utilizing an artificial network), a workstation for ESD immunity tests, and, thanks to the support of the REFRESH project, a new workstation specifically for measuring immunity to electromagnetic fields that will be set up in the coming year. “These four specialized workstations will facilitate pre-certification measurements of EMC parameters not only for embedded devices but also for functional units produced by numerous companies in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Their integration in a shared laboratory with the AntennaAnechoic Chamberwill establish a unique facility that is unmatched in our country,” concluded Voznak.