Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/S13828/01
Title:	Multilayer Mesh Filters for Quasi Optical Beamsplitting Applications
Principal Investigator:	Cahill, Dr R
Other Investigators:	Fusco, Professor V Gamble, Professor H
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Airbus Operations Limited STFC Laboratories (Grouped)
Department:	Sch of Electronics, Elec Eng & Comp Sci
Organisation:	Queen's University of Belfast
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 July 2003	Ends:	30 November 2005	Value (£):	170,769
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	RF & Microwave Technology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Aerospace, Defence and Marine Communications
Related Grants:	GR/S13835/01
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Present beamsplitter technologies which include muttilayer dielectric supported FSS, struggle to satisfy the requirements for future mm- wave mufti spec instruments where very closely spaced frequency bands are required to be separated. A technique is proposed which will significantly improve the efficier and the out of band rejection by removing the dielectric loss inherent in quasi-optical printed FSS diplexers. This is achieved by etching arrays of resonan elements into optically flat self supporting thin wafers, which are then metallised and sandwiched to produce a multilayer air-spaced mesh filter with a high bandpass response. Furthermore this technique can be employed to construct quasi-optical beamsplitters for operation at THz frequencies and higher, w it is not possible to support resonant patch elements on extremely thin and fragile membranes. To achieve the objectives, the project will require a three-fc approach which will combine interrelated simulation, fabrication and measurement tasks. Accurate simulation of the beamsplitter frequency response is essential and therefore an existing computer model will be modified to cater for the effect of metal conductivity, slot thickness and rounding of the slot edg The latter will be determined during a programme of work which will provide a suitably accurate, controllable and repeatable micromachining device fabric route and conductor deposition process. Frequency swept transmission response measurements in the range 100-360GHz will be employed to quantify t performance improvement which is provided by the mufti-layer mesh filter.
Key Findings
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Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.qub.ac.uk