Millimeterwave Laboratory

History to present day
The millimeterwave laboratory was born as a test and support facility for the development of the oversized and quasi optical components of the 140GHz ECRH experiment on FTU. It could also exploit the millimeterwave components and the instrumentation previously used for the 28GHz ECRH experiment and the millimeterwave diagnostics of tokamak THOR (narrowband ECE -Electron Cyclotron Emission- radiometers at discrete frequencies in U-V bands, 70GHz inteferometer).
Since the completion of the installation of the 4 transmission lines and multibeam launcher in FTU, the activity in the laboratory was focussed more on supporting development of high power matched loads for ECRH experiments, e.g. in measuring (complex) dielectric constants of high loss ceramic depositions on metal surfaces.
It is also available for supporting experimental research tasks awarded to IFP in the EFDA framework, such as the quasi optical interface, designed, built and tested by IFP, for the new reflectometers' microwave access in JET. It is also occasionally available for performing measurements on behalf of other collaborating EFDA Institutes.
In parallel, the technological convergence with astronomy experiments on Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) was exploited in a collaboration with IASF/MI, IASF/BO (now INAF) for antenna measurements for balloon-borne experiments (BEAST) and for testing the passive components of the Low Frequency Instrument of ESA's PLANCK satellite.

Instrumentation and capabilities
The laboratory is equipped with an ABmillimetre (http://www.abmillimetre.com) Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) ABmm 8-350-2 for performing 4S parameter measurements with 8 or 12 term calibration, and vector antenna measurements. The VNA is equipped with millimeterwave heads in Ka (WR28), Q(WR22), V(WR15), W(WR10), D(WR6) bands, allowing measurements (in band intervals) between 26.5 and 170GHz.
Other instrumentation available includes a D-band Backward Wave Oscillator (BWO), narrowband solid state generators at 28GHz, from 50 to 75 GHz, 90 to 102 GHz, 140 GHz, and a 10 Watt 140GHz Extended Interaction Oscillator (EIO), with a full range of passive components, mostly in Ka, U,V,D bands. A 26.5 to 170GHz (in bands) and several D-band power meters are available.
A 7X4X4m anechoic chamber is available for antenna pattern measurements, with rails and bridge crane for mounting and moving heavy devices in front of it.
The main measurement expertise in IFP millimeterwave laboratory is in antenna patterns, 4S parameters, dielectric constant of high loss materials.

Further information from Alessandro Simonetto