Microwave Journal
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Attending European Microwave Week 2005

September 2, 2005

The Eiffel Tower is an instantly recognisable landmark and symbol of the vibrant city of Paris, and although European Microwave Week is a good few hundred years younger, similarly it has begun to establish itself as a landmark event for the industry, where the focus is on Europe but the reach is global. That focus will be centred on the French capital’s CNIT, International Conference and Exhibition Centre on 3 to 7 October when the annual event celebrates its 8th year.


Established in format, yet constantly developing to embrace new ideas and innovation, the Week covers all important aspects of RF, microwave, millimetre and submillimetre-wave engineering, including microwave and photonic devices, device and component technologies, circuits and systems, theoretical as well as experimental approaches, wireless, terrestrial and satellite-based communication, radar and related sensor and imaging systems for transportation, earth observation, medical and other important areas of application. Alongside the conferences, a variety of dedicated workshops, short courses and focused sessions address topics in the field of microwave technologies.

Central to the week — literally as it spans the middle three days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) — is the European Microwave Exhibition, the leading trade show on RF and microwaves in Europe. Although supporting and complementing the conferences, the exhibition has become established in its own right as a platform where global players stand alongside their European counterparts to display the latest products and services. It offers visitors the opportunity to discover what’s new and under development.

The official European Microwave Week opening ceremony on Tuesday morning is open to delegates from all conferences, while the EuMW Welcome Reception later that evening has become a feature of the week as it provides an informal and relaxed platform for delegates and exhibitors to get together to eat, drink and exchange ideas in a convivial atmosphere.

This and other important events, both business-related and social, should not be missed. To make sure you don’t and to help you plan your visit, the following quick reference guide is designed to complement the Conference Programme and Exhibition Catalogue, where you will find more detailed information.

Click on the image to enlarge

The Conferences

The four conferences together span the Week, and are scheduled as follows:

  • GAAS®2005 – the Gallium Arsenide and other Compound Semiconductors Application Symposium takes place on Monday 3 and Tuesday 4
  • The European Conference on Wireless Technology (ECWT 2005) is also on Monday 3 and Tuesday 4
  • The 35th European Microwave Conference (EuMC 2005) spans the three middle days, Tuesday 4, Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6
  • The European Radar Conference (EuRAD) ends the week on Thursday 6 and Friday 7.

Registration begins on Sunday 2 October (16.00 to 19.00) and commences at 07.30 each morning from Monday 3 to Friday 7. The registration area and delegate bag collection desks will be located at the main entrance to Hall Albinoni 1 & 2, Level A.

GAAS®2005

Continuing its tradition as the leading conference in Europe for compound semiconductors, RF devices and microwave circuit applications, this is the ideal conference for keeping up to date with the latest achievements in the field.

Papers were submitted from 25 countries, covering a broad spectrum of topics in the area of RF and microwave electronic devices and circuits. The result is a conference that features more than 90 oral presentations in 18 sessions and four workshops and short courses. Focused sessions have been organized regarding the activities in two EU Networks of Excellence — TARGET on Microwave Power application and AMICOM on MEMS devices, circuits and micro-systems. Focused sessions on new emerging technologies such as GaN and NanoCMOS and their reliability have been organised, in addition to sessions about 3D MCM modules for space applications, microwave and mm-wave ICs in silicon technology.

Tuesday afternoon is dedicated to industrial aspects, featuring invited speakers from industry and an industrial round table panel session. On Wednesday, four workshops and short courses offer delegates multiple opportunities to learn about some outstanding areas in more detail. Other workshops have been organized on GaN and SiC technologies, on the latest improvements in linearization techniques (NoE TARGET) and on submillimetre-wave and Terahertz devices and circuits. The well-attended short course on High Power Amplifier Design is also continuing this year.

Prizes and Awards

The best four papers presented will be awarded the GAAS® prizes, which are sponsored by Alenia Spazio, United Monolithic Semiconductors, Elisra Electronic Systems and Win Semiconductors Corp. The Association has also assigned up to five Fellowships for young graduate researchers, in order to enable them to attend the conference.

ECWT 2005

This year’s European Conference on Wireless Technology is the eighth in the series. It continues to provide an international forum for the presentation and discussion of recent developments in the field of wireless communication technologies. To underline that fact, 136 papers, submitted by authors from 25 countries, will be presented during the 16 oral sessions and two poster sessions. Seven sessions are co-organised with the European Microwave Conference and a focussed session on Wireless Personal Area Networks is proposed for Tuesday.

In the opening and closing sessions, keynote speakers will address present trends in the wireless communications field. Also, during the closing session, the ECWT Prize and the Student Awards will be conferred, and the chairman of next year’s conference, which will be held in Manchester, UK, will make a presentation.

To complement and enhance the conference, workshops and short courses are proposed for Monday and Wednesday on UWB for wireless communications, UWB antennas, millimetre-wave wireless personal area network systems and RF systems in packages.

Passerelle des arts (photo by David Lefranc).

European Microwave Conference (EuMC)

This year has seen a significant rise in the number of submissions compared to previous years. Much more than just European, EuMC is becoming an international conference, which is reflected in the profile of the contributing countries. This year sees a dramatic rise in interest from Asia, with South Korea leading all other countries, including France, the host country! From the Middle East to Far East Asia, North and South America, Africa, Oceania, Eastern and Central Europe, there have been contributions from 49 countries.

The conference is dedicated to a broad range of high frequency related topics, from materials and technologies to integrated circuits, systems and applications, that will be addressed in all aspects: theory, simulation, design and measurement. It is also placing special emphasis on the activities of the different Networks of Excellence, which are operating under European Commission support.

Therefore, there will be 53 regular oral sessions, including three focused sessions on specific topics. There are also lunchtime poster sessions every day, located in the European Microwave Exhibition Hall. EuMC also offers 16 joint sessions with its sister conferences: GAAS, ECWT and EuRAD. In addition, there are various workshops designed to encourage technical exchanges on certain topics, which will take place on Monday 3 and Friday 7.

Prizes and Awards

The EuMC Microwave Prize will be given in recognition of the best contributed paper. Also, the EuMC is awarding two Young Engineer Prizes this year, which will go to two young engineers judged to have submitted and presented outstanding papers at the conference.

EuRAD 2005

The First European Radar Conference last year in Amsterdam was very successful and grew out of the fact that the activities of radar have always been included in European Microwave Week. The increasing number of papers related to radar naturally led to the integration of a dedicated radar conference within the event’s framework. This year the second European Radar Conference (EuRAD 2005) encompasses a wide range of topics, including radar devices, systems and processing techniques.

Within the conference framework radar and radar related researchers are given the platform to present their progress and offer new insights during oral and poster sessions and when meeting colleagues. EuRAD 2005 received an increased number of high level papers with contributions from many countries. Not only are there regular sessions but also a poster session, two focused sessions, one workshop and one short course.

Prizes and Awards

The Raytheon sponsored EuMW Radar Prize will be awarded to the paper that best advances the state-of-the-art in radar.

Exhibition

The European Microwave Week Exhibition, which spans the middle three days of the Week and is located in Hall Albinoni 1 & 2, has long been a central and important ingredient of EuMW, illustrating the fact that academic and commercial development run side by side to fulfill mutual goals and to move the industry forward. Prime examples include the specific industrial sessions that have been scheduled within the conference, workshops that address practical applications and the siting of conference poster sessions in the exhibition hall on all three days. This was so successful when introduced in 2004, primarily because the sessions not only generated academic interest but also brought the theory and the practical together with visitors realising that it is the exhibitors who have the commercial expertise to make the concepts a reality.

This year again, the free to enter exhibition has attracted key players in the industry, giving visitors an ideal opportunity to catch up with leading international companies on their stands (see the latest exhibitor list on page 58). Exhibitors will be showcasing the latest product innovations and offering visitors hands-on demonstrations and the chance to talk technical with the experts. That will also be the case at the various technical exhibitor workshops and seminars that are being held to complement the exhibition.

Over the last few years the international flavour has been given a local twist with the host country having its own pavilion. This year is no exception with the French Pavilion providing the opportunity for local companies, large and small, to exhibit side by side under the Tricolour. In fact, this year the initiative has been taken a stage further with the Pavilion Limougin also promoting the trade and industry of the Limoges area of France.

Sacré-Coeur (photo by David Lefranc).

Exhibition Opening Hours

Tuesday 4 October: 09.30–18.00 (followed by the
Welcome Reception at 18.30)
Wednesday 5 October: 09.30–18.00
Thursday 6 October: 09.30–16.30

Whether travelling by train, Metro or car the international conference and exhibition centre is easily accessible. On the RER take Line A and disembark at La Défense Station and on the Metro (Subway) it is at the end of Line 1, La Grand Arche de la Défense station. If travelling by car refer to the EuMW 2005 Conference Programme or log onto the show Web site at www.eumw2005.com for detailed travel directions. Those staying in hotels near the conference centre need not miss out on the delights of central Paris, as it is just a handful of stops on the Metro.

Sightseeing

Paris is a city with a plethora of sights, sounds and tastes for the visitor to enjoy. The historical mixes with the modern and there is so much to do from visiting the Louvre, ascending the Eiffel tower or cruising on the Seine. All tastes and price ranges are catered for in the galaxy of restaurants and bars, while French style can be sampled and bought in the myriad of shops. So, whether it is culture or couture you are looking for you’ll find it in Paris. To help you do just that, Paris-based company Radiall has put together “Paris: Forever and for Everyone,” which starts on page 44. As well as the familiar, this personal guide to Paris also goes off the beaten track to point out the more unusual.

Restaurant (photo by Alain Potignon).

Guidance is on hand too at CNIT where a hospitality desk in the registration area will provide support in booking public transport tickets, tours, museum visits, restaurants, etc. Guided tours of Paris monuments and museums will also be available.

Hotel Reservations

If you require hotel accommodation the Res-O-Tel booking agency makes reservations at reduced rates in various three, four and five star hotels in Paris, at no charge. For more information, please contact the agency at Tel: +44 (0) 20 8722 6920. Alternatively, you can access the agency’s booking service on the EuMW 2005 Web site at www.eumw2005.com in the ‘Accommodation’ section.

Social Events

On Monday 3 October at 19.00 each registered GAAS® delegate is invited as a guest of the GAAS® Association to the traditional GAAS® 2005 Gala Dinner. The venue is a restaurant located on the fifth floor of the famous La Samaritaine store in the historical heart of Paris, with a splendid view of the city. Further information will be available at registration.

The EuMW 2005 Welcome Reception follows on Tuesday 4, from 18.30 to 21.00 at CNIT La Défense. All registered conference delegates from all four conferences, together with representatives from the companies participating in the exhibition are invited to the reception, which is sponsored by Agilent, EuMA and Horizon House.

There is more, as the following day, Wednesday 5 at 19.00, there will be a Gala Cocktail Evening combined with a trip on the Seine to savour the historical heart of Paris. The number of places will be limited and more information will be available at the registration desk.

General Information

In advance, take time to familiarise yourself with the event and plan your visit by logging onto the show Web site at www.eumw2005.com.