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Project Sponsors: Professors Zoya Popovic and Gregor Lasser
Antenna testing requires both the proper testing environment and testing system. One set of data researchers measure when testing antennas is received power. A measurement of received power allows for the calculation of multiple antenna characteristics such as radiation pattern and overall gain. In antenna testing, one antenna acts as a source antenna and another antenna as the test antenna. The source antenna transmits a wave to the antenna under test where the received power is measured. An accurate representation of the received power allows researchers to make necessary adjustments to their antennas after testing multiple configurations and frequencies. An RF anechoic chamber gives researchers an environment to accurately analyze antenna this data with minimal interference. Testing in a non-isolated environment exposes received signals to external radio waves and reflections. Zoya Popovic is head of the Microwave Research group at University of Colorado Boulder and built an RF anechoic chamber for research; however, this chamber no longer has the necessary testing system. Without an operational testing system in the RF anechoic chamber, any and all testing and research with antennas and RF interaction is seriously crippled.
Zoya’s Anechoic Chamber (Z.A.Ch) provides the modular testing system for researchers to test unique antenna configurations in a stable environment.
Restoring the anechoic chamber directly benefits the RF research department. The RF research lab provides multiple research groups with resources to further their development in electromagnetic, RF, and microwave studies. The renovated anechoic chamber enhances the resources of these groups as well as providing new avenues for developing research questions.