Scientific sessions constitute the backbone of EMTS technical program. They are organized by conveners but open for submission from everybody.
S01 – Electromagnetic theory (Daniel Sjöberg, Henrik Wallén, Mariana Dalarsson)
This session addresses the most recent advances in electromagnetic theory. It includes all aspects of electromagnetics, and all frequency ranges from statics to optics, including both time and frequency formulations. Of special interest are advances in mathematical modelling of complex structures and materials including aspects of periodicity and quasi-periodicity, topological aspects of ordered structures, solutions of canonical problems, analytic identities, guided waves, mathematical aspects of numerical methods, random and complex media, asymptotic methods, and antenna theory. Owing to the wide scope of Commission B and to the multi-disciplinary nature of contemporary research in electromagnetism, an extended view of the topics above is also welcome. This includes classical theories, as well as the incorporation of electromagnetism and quantum theory on the nano-scale. We expect contributions in this session to present unexpected phenomena, new paradigms or new interpretations of fundamental concepts, new solution methods, or to address questions with respect to well-posedness of different problems and models.
S02 – Antenna theory for design, analysis, and measurements (Debatosh Guha, Andrea Michel)
This session aims to present progress in the theory and practice of antenna engineering, measurements, and their deployment in wireless systems. It would cover novel design, analysis, and techniques for antennas, arrays including metasurface-based structures and wave propagations.
S03 – Scattering and diffraction (Giuliano Manara, Ludger Klinkenbusch)
The session will address topics covering the wide range of scattering and diffraction. Methods and applications will be considered such as edge diffraction including surface wave excitation and diffraction. Scattering from special surfaces and by non-linear/anisotropic/dispersive media will be emphasized. The session will pay attention to analytical and numerical methods for solving problems in scattering and diffraction, particularly including different types of illuminating fields, such as homogeneous or inhomogeneous plane waves.
S04 – Inverse scattering and imaging (Andrea Randazzo, Raffaele Solimene, Shouhei Kidera)
This session aims to focus on inverse electromagnetic techniques, both active and passive, of interest for sensing and imaging in different applicative areas, e.g., in the security, civil, and medical fields. Examples include, but are not limited to, landmine detection, identification of intruders, search and rescue in disaster events, security checking at airports, non-destructive testing, biomedical imaging, etc. Wavelengths of interest include radio to X-ray waves, and UWB (Ultra-Wideband) signals to improve range and cross resolution for indoor and medical imaging. Some of these applications also require super resolution schemes and/or very fast computation for real time images with high quality and reliability. Theoretical investigations and studies aimed at other type of applications are also welcome.
S05 – Propagation and scattering from low frequency to the THz frequency band: advances, trends and new applications (Danilo Erricolo, Thomas Kuerner, Guido Lombardi)
This session focuses on electromagnetic propagation, with emphasis on new trends related to outdoor, indoor, atmospheric propagation, complex media and scenarios including – but not limited to – implications on future generations of communication systems. All frequencies are of interest, in particular, the THz frequency band.
S06 – Advanced algorithms in computational electromagnetics (Shinichiro Ohnuki, Vladimir Okhmatovski, Qing Huo Liu)
This session will focus on most recent advances of numerical methods, numerical techniques, and their applications in computational electromagnetics. Potential topics may include (but are not limited to):
- Fast, efficient, and accurate methods; Recent advances in the integral equations of electromagnetics
- Numerical modelling and optimization; Multiscale and multiphysics algorithms
- High performance computing and computer architecture – Machine learning
S07 – On the development of effective models for electromagnetic applications (Lars Jonsson, Valentin de la Rubia)
The special session addresses application and development of different types of effective models of electromagnetic applications. Typical research include areas like linear and non-linear model order reduction, data driven techniques, a-priori/a-posteriori bound on model error predictions, efficient interpolation techniques, and Krylov subspace-based methods. But also models and/or developments of physical bounds, effective design techniques such as characteristic modes, and stored energies as well as efficient computational electromagnetic techniques. The aim of the session is to invite experts from diverse areas to further develop the field of faster electromagnetic computations. Purely theoretical contributions are welcome if there is a potential application towards electromagnetics.
S08 – Mathematical modelling of EM problems (Paul Smith, George Uslenghi)
This session will address recent developments in the mathematical modelling of electromagnetic problems by a variety of analytical, semi-analytical and numerical methods. Papers may consider significant modelling problems in any area of fields and waves including, for example, fundamental aspects of electromagnetic theory, material and media modelling, scattering and diffraction in the time or frequency domain, inverse problems and propagation. As appropriate, papers should discuss the analytical and/or numerical advantages of the chosen modelling framework over alternative approaches.
S09 – Novel mathematical methods in electromagnetics (Kazuya Kobayashi, Guido Lombardi, Yury Shestopalov)
This session will cover recent achievements in the area of advanced analytical and numerical methods as applied to various problems arising in all branches of electromagnetics. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following areas: analytical regularization methods; canonical problems; computational electromagnetics; electromagnetic theory; guided waves; gratings and periodic structures; high-frequency techniques; integral equation methods; inverse problems; metamaterials and metasurfaces; nonlinear phenomena; novel mathematical techniques; scattering and diffraction; time-domain techniques; waves in complex media; Wiener-Hopf techniques.
S10 – Machine learning and optimization techniques in electromagnetics: new trends and novel applications (Sembiam R. Rengarajan, Christos G. Christodoulou, Ahmad Hoorfar)
Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are finding an increasing number of applications in electromagnetics to obtain efficient and accurate models for the design and optimizations of complex systems. Nature-inspired and other novel optimization techniques have been revolutionizing the design of electromagnetic devices with demanding specifications. These techniques are also used in applications in antenna design and optimizations, inverse-scattering and radar-target detection and classification, among others. This session will provide a forum for presenting advances in various applications of machine learning and optimization techniques in electromagnetics. Both review papers and new contributions are sought.
S11 – Electromagnetic methods for direct and inverse scattering involving stratified media (Giuseppe Schettini, Andrea Randazzo, Cristina Ponti)
The study of stratified structures and more specifically, the quantitative characterization of materials and layers using direct and inverse electromagnetic wave scattering, involves interdisciplinary knowledge and plays an increasing role in many application areas. These range from nondestructive testing to defense and security, through the wall radar imaging, and search and rescue applications, to environmental monitoring and cultural heritage prospection and preservation. Other possible applications, in course of evolution, are in the analysis of the quality
of realization of electronic materials, done in a stratified way, that can be natural- or metastructured, and can realize several system functions in various applications going from the internet of things, to telecommunications networks, to Thz or photonic devices, and so on. Even if a quite large amount of work has been carried out in last years, a lot of improvement is needed both on direct and inverse methods in order to reach a reliable and easy use of them.
S12 – Scattering of waves by particles: new applications from radio waves to optics (Mariana Dalarsson, Samel Arslanagic)
Ever since their discovery, Maxwell’s equations have been vigorously applied in a large plethora of complex canonical and non-canonical material configurations to characterize their radiation and scattering properties, and to provide explanations of and insights into their underlying physics and potential applications. Substantial analytical, numerical, and experimental efforts have been reported over time. Specifically, recent advances in the field of metamaterials and metasurfaces have revealed truly novel and exotic properties of scientific and societal importance, while at the same time extending the traditional views of wave-matter interaction and scattering. To exploit the full potential of wave-matter interactions, we need to further increase our understanding of the basic electromagnetic scattering properties of the underlying particles and of their clever arrangements. This will facilitate their use in new applications that demand a wide range of particle materials and sizes from RF to optics. This session invites theoretical, computational, and experimental contributions on wave-scattering challenges and solutions in the field of dielectric and plasmonic micro/nano particles and devices. Special emphasis will be given to current and upcoming developments, including, but not limited to, material models, coated particles, active media, mode analyses and resonance effects.
S13 – Metamaterials and metasurfaces: space, time, and spacetime control of wave propagation (Victor Pacheco-Peña, Iñigo Liberal, Carlo Rizza)
This session will bring together experts in the field of metamaterials and metasurfaces. Such artificially engineered manipulation of waves has enabled the improvement and development of many applications. Due to this, the scope of this session includes both theoretical and experimental works aimed at manipulating waves (from radio to optical frequencies) using synthetic structures. Examples include antennas, holography, sensors, computing with waves, quantum optics, parity-time symmetry, and topological systems. To move beyond modulation of wave propagation using spatial inhomogeneities, the session also includes emphasis in temporal and spacetime control of waves via 4D metamaterials.
S14 – Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) and their applications (Filippo Costa, Shuo Liu)
Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) are two-dimensional reflecting surfaces made of subwavelength or half-wavelength meta atoms. By individually adjusting the meta atom inclusions, the RISs can reconfigure the incoming wave to different reflection angles, thus have great potential in future wireless communication systems. This session is aimed at the recent progresses in the development of RISs and their applications. Among other, it covers working principles, design strategies, different geometrical and materials realizations and designs, performance evaluations, practical aspects of the RIS, and their application to wireless communication and sensing.
S15 – Deterministic propagation models for 6G and RIS-aided wireless systems (Matteo Albani, Enrico M. Vitucci)
This session aims to present the latest advances in deterministic propagation modelling for 6G and beyond. Accurate characterization of the radio channel in cluttered, confined, and dynamic environments, such as industrial and vehicular scenarios, is of great interest for 6G applications, and can be addressed with deterministic approaches such as ray-based models, physical optics, or with hybrid methods. Special attention is given to “smart electromagnetic environments”, where Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) are employed to “engineer” the radio channel and thus add more degrees of freedom in the design and optimization of the wireless system. For this purpose, general macroscopic models are needed, which are computationally efficient and accurate at the same time. The session is open to both theoretical contributions where novel propagation models are developed, and to works where existing models are extended and parametrized for specific propagation environments and experimentally validated.
S16 – Millimeter wave and Terahertz antennas (Elias Alwan, Satheesh Bojja Venkatakrishnan)
Next-generation wireless radios are expected to use the full extent of the millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum and terahertz (THz) bands to deliver faster broadband speed, widespread coverage, ultra-high throughput, and ultra-low latency. To overcome the path loss and atmospheric absorption at such high frequencies, high-gain antennas and antenna arrays are required. The design and implementation of antenna arrays with dense feeding networks pose numerous challenges due to their small footprint and fabrication tolerances at mmWaves and THz frequencies. In addition, Silicon-based substrates have been traditionally used, which are lossy. Alternatively, ceramic substrates exhibit favorable performances. However, more recent research has been focused on organic substrates as a low-cost alternative to ceramic and have been shown to exhibit stable electrical properties over a wide bandwidth. In this session, we seek novel design approaches for mmWave and THz antennas to overcome the abovementioned challenges.
S17 – Vehicular and automotive antennas and RF links (Daniel Aloi, Andrea Michel)
This session will address recent developments and achievements in the framework of antennas, propagation modelling and RF systems for vehicular and automotive communications. In the last decade, there has been an increasing interest on automotive/vehicular connectivity, autonomy, security and entertainment, which depend on radio frequency systems over satellite, terrestrial and node-to-node links. In this session, papers addressing antenna technologies, channel characterization, radar, and test/measurement validation are solicited. Some of these RF systems include FM, Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB), Remote Keyless Entry (RKE), Cellular 5G, cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X), Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC), global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), Bluetooth (BT), Low Energy Bluetooth (BLE), UWB and WiFi. Also, novel RF systems and applications in vehicular systems will be discussed in this session, such as UWB-based localization systems or autonomous and remotely piloted vehicles.
S18 – Advanced array antennas: smart, reconfigurable, adaptive and much more (Paolo Nepa, Diego Masotti)
This session aims to present last advances in the field of array antennas suitable for the future wireless systems for joint communication, sensing and power transfer. More and more sophisticated antenna arrays must be designed to implement fast and accurate beamforming and focusing features in antenna far-field and radiative regions, respectively, as well as high-degree reconfigurability in massive MIMO systems. Novel architectures ,advanced synthesis techniques and competitive technologies have to pioneered to face with the demanding requirements for future wireless systems. The session is open to both theoretical investigations and application-oriented contributions, all focusing on array antennas for future generations of wireless systems.
S19 – Electromagnetics in various sensing applications (Artur Rydosz, Kamil Staszek, Ilona Piekarz)
This session addresses the most recent research outcomes in the field of electromagnetics applied in various sensing applications including the automotive industry, aero-space industry, gas-sensing, and biomedical sensing. Of special interest are advances in the miniaturization of microwave-based applications and tests in real-world scenarios. Machine learning and artificial intelligence approaches used for electromagnetics in various sensing applications are welcome as well. Novel sensor structures realizations and biofunctionalization methods allowing for sensitivity increase in microwave sensors and biosensors are also of great interest.
S20 – Rays and beams in electromagnetics (Prabhakar Pathak, Giuliano Manara, and Ludger Klinkenbusch)
Rays and beams are compact descriptions used for the highly efficient analysis of electromagnetic wave interaction and propagation phenomena particularly in cases where standard full wave solvers are not needed, inefficient, or even not applicable. As a highly topical example the analysis of 5G/6G wave propagation in urban environments is mentioned here. EM ray techniques are mainly applied in the context of Geometrical Optics and its extensions GTD, UTD, and UAT, while beams which can be considered as a bundle of rays are used also for the exact analytical solution of boundary value-problems and the full-wave numerical calculation of antenna radiation and electromagnetic propagation, among others. Depending on the goal, different beams are in use, such as (Laguerre) Gaussian Beams, Complex-Source Beams, Bessel Beams, and Airy Beams.
S21 – Open Session (Henrik Wallén, Ludger Klinkenbusch)
This session is open for any topics that are relevant for Commission B and EMTS, but for some reason doesn’t seem to fit well in any of the other sessions.