Laboratory facilities – Department of Electronic Systems
Laboratory facilities
Great Hall of Acoustics
The "great hall" really designates a laboratory area giving access to several special rooms. These are primarily intended for measurements of sound power, sound transmission through walls, floors, and windows, as well as measurements of the sound absorbing characteristics of different materials. A large area is also available for general experimentation where typically parts of ventilation systems and other flow machinery might be studied for noise generation.
ANA-Lab
In modern communication and/or radar systems there are a lot of components that have to be characterized and measured. The Network Analyzer Laboratory (ANA-lab) is very important for doing so.
The lab is equipped with - Agilent 8510C Automatic Network Analyzers covering the frequency range up to 50 GHz.
There are two Cascade probe stations capable of doing on wafer measurements of integrated circuits.
In addition there is a Focus load-pull system for characterizing power amplifiers in the frequency range of 2-18 GHz.
General equipment such as signal generators, oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers are also available.
Antenna Laboratory
In the antenna laboratory there is an anechoic chamber of dimensions (10x6x4m) for the 1-20 GHz frequency range. The chamber is equipped with a 3-axis motion controller for antenna pattern measurements. Test instrumentation up to 50 GHz. There is also equipment for radar cross-section measurements and scattering studies.
Small Satellite Lab
NTNU Small Satellite Lab is an initiative to bring more of the space related activities at NTNU together and make them more visible.
Labs in biomedical optics
Biomedical optics is a research area with a high laboratory activity. Clinical research is usually carried out in cooperation with relevant research groups at St. Olavs hospital, often in labs at the hospital. But a considerable part of the experimental activity is still performed at optics labs at the institute. The biomedical optics group has four laboratories with equipment for absorption and reflection spectroscopy in the 190 – 1700 nm wavelength range (UV, VIS and NIR), and hyperspectral imaging in the 400 – 1000 nm wavelength range. The laboratories are also equipped with several high power lasers, i.e. a CO2 laser, an argon laser, an argon pumped dye laser, and a continuous Nd:YAG laser.
Heterodyne Interferometry lab
In the interferometry lab we use the phenomena interference to measure small vibrations. It is of great importance to characterize micro- and nanostructures since many uncontrolled errors may occur during fabrication. We use a 532 nm laser, that is green light.
Interference occurs when two light paths overlap. We get constructive interference (i.e. high light intensity) if the two light paths are exactly in phase, whereas we get destructive interference (no light at all) if the two light paths are π out of phase. If we now set a vibrating element (for example an ultrasound element) in one of the light paths, the interference pattern (i.e. the intensity) will change as a function of the amplitude of the vibrating element. By using a photo detector we can record this intensity variation, and use this to calculate the amplitude of the vibration. We measure amplitudes as small as 7 picometer!
Circuit Characterization Lab
Circuit Characterization Lab contains advanced instruments for measuring nanoscale CMOS circuits and other analog components. The core of the lab is a Cascade probe station for on-wafer measurements of integrated circuits. This probe station is optimized for extreme low current values (down to a few femto-amperes) and is equipped with a thermal controller such that the circuits can be tested in the temperature range -55 – 200°C. Available instruments in the lab include a Keithly SCS 4200 for DC measurements, Agilent 4284A for CV measurements, Agilent 35670A Dynamic signal analyzer and a Rohde & Schwarz network analyzer.
MBE-lab
Molecular Beam Epitaxy is used to manufacture semiconductor materials atom layer by atom layer. The lab is mostly used to manufacture III-V semiconductors for use in lasers, but we have also started manufacturing materials for solar cell applications.
Taklaboratoriet (Roof-lab)
On the roof top of our department there is an outdoor antenna measurement range. This range is well suited for measurements in the lower frequency range.
The lab also consists of several indoor rooms where the instrumentation is located. At the roof several antennas are/can be located. This is antennas for communication system (satellite) measurements and navigation system (e.g. GPS) test. At the roof lab a GPS simulator is also located.