With the rapid development of Internet of Things, a vast number of small, low-cost, and low-power mobile electronic devices, such as radio frequency identification tags and wireless sensors, will become integral parts of our society in the near future. Supplying electrical power to these devices wirelessly would eliminate/relieve their battery life limitation, and therefore is envisioned to be one of the enabling technologies for the next-generation Internet of Things. Since wireless power delivery must be dedicated to the designated receivers in space, it is inevitable to employ one narrow electromagnetic beam as the carrier of wireless power toward each mobile device. The retro-reflective beamforming technique has excellent potential to accomplish efficient wireless power transmission in the context of Internet of Things, as it is capable of keeping track of multiple mobile devices and then generating wireless power beams to the devices accordingly. The primary merit of retro-reflective beamforming technique is that wireless power transmission is augmented by radar tracking. Specifically, wireless power transmission is initiated by pilot signals broadcasted from wireless power receiver(s); and in response to the pilot signals, a wireless power transmitter delivers directional microwave power beams to the receiver(s). This presentation reviews our past, ongoing, and future research efforts on wireless power transmission based on retro-reflective beamforming. This talk starts with the fundamental principles and a brief history of retro-reflective beamforming technique. Next, the pros and cons of retro-reflective beamforming are analyzed via comparison with other wireless power transmission techniques. Plentiful theoretical and experimental results collected in our research demonstrate that the retro-reflective beamforming scheme enables microwave power beams to follow the location of mobile wireless power receiver(s) dynamically as long as the receiver(s) broadcast pilot signals periodically. The last part of the presentation discusses the challenges pertinent to the practical application of retro-reflective beamforming technique. Speaker(s): Mingyu Lu, Room: 4021, Bldg: Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053

This presentation discusses high power monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifier (PA) design in Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Gallium Nitride (GaN). At a high level, GaN versus GaAs semiconductor technology from the perspective of power amplifier design metrics is analyzed to help determine the relative advantages and disadvantages of each technology. This is followed with an introduction of the most prevalent MMIC design topologies for the bulk of microwave applications which include reactively matched, non-uniform distributed, balanced, push-pull, Doherty and serially combined. Following introduction of the main topologies, the presentation focuses on the potential pitfalls the MMIC designer can encounter with detailed discussion on how to avoid them with the goal of first past design success. The presentation relies on experience from the author’s career with over 20 years of experience in the defense and commercial industries as well as academia. MMIC designers will appreciate the candid explanation of the design topologies and pitfalls while non-designers will come away with a good working knowledge of what can be achieved and what to watch out for. Speaker(s): , Michael Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/472102

Transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. This presentation chronicles my journey from earning a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology to co-founding Falcomm, Inc., a venture-backed fabless semiconductor startup specializing in ultra-efficient power amplifiers for 5G and beyond. Drawing on experiences from academic research in zero-power RF/mm-wave signal processing and novel power amplifier designs, I discuss how the foundational skills and insights gained in academia shaped my approach to solving real-world problems. The presentation highlights the pivotal moments in this transition, including identifying a market need, securing venture capital funding, navigating team dynamics, and establishing partnerships with industry leaders like GlobalFoundries. I also share lessons learned about bridging the gap between theoretical innovation and practical implementation, as well as the mindset shifts required to thrive as both a researcher and a CEO. This talk aims to inspire academics and aspiring entrepreneurs to recognize the transferable skills inherent in their work, embrace calculated risks, and leverage their expertise to make a meaningful impact in industry. It also emphasizes the importance of persistence, adaptability, and collaboration in the pursuit of building a startup from the ground up. Speaker(s): Edgar, Room: 4021, Bldg: Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053