Project Description
Applications are invited for a 3.5 year Ph.D. studentship on the theme described below, as part of The University of Sheffield’s Communications Research Group and EPSRC Millimetre Wave Measurement Laboratory. The full studentship is available to UK home students. International students are eligible for a maintenance allowance and for partial funding towards tuition fees.
Details: Research and design of RF systems and circuits continues to be a field where practitioners are in high demand and are setting the international direction of future communication technologies, such as for 5G and 6G.
In particular, the field of Millimetre Wave (mmWave) circuit design has experienced a resurgence of interest, due to anticipated applications in 5G and future 6G mobile and fixed systems at circa 28GHz, 73GHz and beyond.
Underpinning future communications equipment will be cost-effective and low power (yet high performance) RF circuits, spanning the entire field and spectrum of RF design.
The purpose of this research project is to investigate present state-of-the-art aspects of mmWave and Microwave RF circuit design and then choose an area for further research that complements group activity. The research topic will be chosen from one or more of (but not limited to) the following themes, as relevant to the ongoing group’s research activity:-
- Low power RF modulators / demodulators
- Fundamental and Subharmonic mixers
- RF Sampling transceiver architectures
- Wideband modulators / demodulators (e.g. 5 and 6 Port concepts)
- PCB & MMIC implementation of low-power, high-performance transceivers and subsystems
- High performance tunable and reconfigurable oscillators and synthesisers
- Cost effective and power efficient circuits for RF antenna beam forming and steering
Researchers can expect to become involved in designing novel hardware and related DSP or control software for their proposed system(s) and then trialling and enhancing them for optimal operation in the Lab and in field trials. The project will be part of an ongoing funded activity in 5G & 6G next generation mmWave systems, also involving industry partners. The Communications Research Group is working on multiple areas of wireless communications technology including mmWave, Massive MIMO and IoT systems. The technology emerging from the researcher’s project will contribute to these research themes.
Funding Information
Awards for UK home students cover both tuition fees and a maintenance allowance at the standard UKRI rate – currently £15,560 per annum.
Awards for international students cover maintenance at £15,560 per annum and a fee discount of £4,500 per annum on international tuition fees. Hence, international students would have to fund the balance of tuition fees (resulting in £20,450 per annum).
Eligibility Requirements
The position is available immediately and will be open until it is filled. Applicants should have relevant experience for the position.
For further information and informal enquiries contact Mr Eddie Ball at [email protected]
Application Process
To formally apply for this post, please use the graduate application webpage: sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply
