Microwave Journal
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The Book End

December 1, 2004

Ultra-Wideband Radio Technology

John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
264 pages; $95
ISBN: 0-470-85931-8

This book is designed to give a basic overview of the subject of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. It grounds the reader with a brief history, offers an understanding of the current regulations and standards that are being developed, and then presents the workings of the technology. The history of ultra-wideband is introduced in Chapter 1, its first appearance being the early spark-gap mechanisms. The development of a technology is tempered as much by invention and innovation as by regulations, which are explored in Chapter 2: the Regulatory Climate. In Chapter 3: UWB in Standards, the development of some standards activities in which UWB will appear, are traced. Chapter 4: Generating and Transmitting UWB Signals, details the generation of wideband signals, which requires techniques different from those used with conventional radio signals. In Chapter 5: Radiation of UWB Signals, the concept of finite time imparts interesting characteristics to UWB radiation. The time solution to radiation is presented and shows how wideband signals differ from their narrowband counterparts. Chapter 6: Propagation of UWB Signals, explains how UWB signals interact in the real world in a variety of environments. Receiving UWB signals is not very different from receiving other wireless signals; however, there is an art to receiving signals efficiently and translating them correctly to extract the information conveyed. In Chapter 7: Receiving UWB Signals, the techniques of efficient signal receptions are discussed. One advantage of UWB is touted to be its enormous capacity. Chapter 8: UWB System Limits and Capacity, quantifies the performance of UWB links and shows how the environment and other wireless users have an impact on the amount of information that can be packed on a link. Chapter 9: Applications and Future Directions, explains several ideas that have been proposed for marketing and a couple that are just sparks of thought and are meant to enthuse readers and open minds to the possibilities.

To order this book, contact: John Wiley & Sons Ltd., The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8SQ UK +44 1243 779777.


An Introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems Engineering, Second Edition

Artech House Inc.
302 pages; $89, £59
ISBN: 1-58053-590-9

The past few years have witnessed an increasing maturity of the MEMS industry and a rapid introduction of new products addressing applications ranging from biochemical analysis to fiber-optic telecommunications. The market size for MEMS products has doubled in the past five years and is projected to grow at this fast rate for the foreseeable future. In this second edition of the original publication, the authors have revised the original text and added substantial new material, while retaining the style characteristic of an introductory book intended for a broad audience of scientists, engineers, students and business executives. The section on fabrication processes has been expanded by adding new methods and materials. The advantages and limitations of many micromachined structures are covered in more detail. The chapter on commercial structures is now divided into four chapters, each focusing on a specific application and expanded with appropriate material covering new technical developments and products. Chapter 4 is now specific to automotive and industrial applications, covering traditional products, such as pressure sensors, accelerometers, yaw-rate sensors and new emerging products in valving and pumping. Chapter 5 now covers the applications of MEMS in photonics, including displays, optical sensors and new products that are now common in fiber-optic telecommunications. The focus of Chapter 6 is on applications in life sciences, with emphasis on new products and developments specific to biochemical analysis and microfluidics. With the emergence of wireless and RF as a new market for MEMS technology, Chapter 7 describes recent developments and introductions in this promising area. In Chapters 4 to 7, the information on applications and systems that include MEMS products was expanded where appropriate. In Chapter 8, the material on packaging was also expanded to include packaging of optical MEMS products and an entirely new section on reliability and quality assurance was added.

To order this book, contact: Artech House Inc., 685 Canton St., Norwood, MA 02062 (781) 769-9750 ext. 4030; or 46 Gillingham St., London SW1V 1HH UK +44 (0) 207-8750.