Microwaves and mm-waves for the Design of Advanced Wireless Links: Communication, Sensing and Power Transfer

Language: English

Period: 16 – 21 June 2025

Deadline: 15 May 2025

Program Intensity: Full-time

ECTS: 6

Tuition fees: 250€

The Summer School offers 6 ECTS credits through the delivering of 48-hour lectures. Attendees will get an introduction to EM fundamentals and then will learn how those are applied to the design and implementation of advanced communication systems, radars, wireless sensing systems, wireless networks and high-frequency circuits.

The Summer School lectures are subdivided into two parts.

The first part is devoted to a concise and basic description of the most important EM phenomena: wave propagation in free space and guiding structures; properties and characteristic parameters of passive devices, transceivers and antennas. Experimental measurements and introduction to commercial EM solvers are also planned.

The second part of the lecturers is devoted to highlight how the EM phenomena and devices previously reviewed are applied in some of the most advanced wireless systems.

Lecturers, from both academia and ICT industry, will focus on the design criteria, technical features, architectures and innovative aspects directly induced by EM concepts in non-terrestrial networks, 5G mobile communications, wireless power transfer systems, V2X communications, satellite communication networks, microwave systems for aerospace and defense. To fully pursue the Summer School goals and provide the most effective outcome, lecturers are selected among academia (University of Pisa and University of Bologna), ICT industry and international research centers.

On Tuesday June 17^th, all the University facilities in Pisa are closed due to the celebrations for the patron saint of the city of Pisa, San Ranieri; on that day, the lectures will be given at the Marconi’s Museum in Villa Griffone, Pontecchio Marconi (close to Bologna). In the morning, the attendees will have a guided tour of the museum and the chance to see some experiments emulating those made by the pioneer of the radio communications (Nobel Prize for Physics, in 1909) in his family country estate in the late XIX century. In the afternoon, lecturers on WPT (wireless power transfer) systems and RIS (Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces) for 6G mobile communications will be given by recognized experts from the University of Bologna. The bus transfer for the round trip to Pontecchio Marconi, as well as a class-bulding lunch, will be provided by the Summer School organizers. 

All participants, both those participating in person and those participating remotely, will receive a certificate of attendance. It is worth noting that those students interested to earn the 6 ECTS credits are expected to agree with the Summer School coordinators on a Project Work topic and then submit their final report no later than 30 August 2025 (pdf submission by email to paolo.nepa@unipi.it and andrea.michel@unipi.it). The approved project works will receive a grade, and after a few days the students could download a  transcript-of-records directly from their student account at the University of Pisa. Master students and PhD students could spend the gained 6 ECTS credits at their home institution (based on credit recognition rules applied at their Bachelor/Master Degree course or PhD program).

School Syllabus

Part I: Basic remarks on EM phenomena and devices

• Free-space propagation, ray-based propagation models
• Wave propagation through dielectric media, multipath models
• Wave propagation in guiding structures, printed lines
• Passive devices for advanced wireless systems: characterization and design criteria. Power dividers, directional couplers, filters
• Antennas for high-frequency wireless links
• Transceivers: modeling and design examples
• EM solvers for the analysis and design of devices and antennas
• Instrumentation for the characterization of wireless network devices

Part II: Microwaves and mm-waves for advanced wireless links

• Non-terrestrial communication networks
• The evolution of terrestrial communication networks toward the fifth generation (5G)
• Wireless sensing and communications in automotive V2X scenarios
• Devices and architectures of systems for wireless power transfer and energy harvesting
• Joint Localization and Communication with Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS)
• Microwaves systems for satellite broadband networks, aerospace and defense

[Historical corner]

• “Guglielmo Marconi, the first Italian to be awarded with a Nobel Prize for Physics (1909), in recognition to his contribution to radio communications”: visit to the Marconi Museum in Pontecchio Marconi (nearby Bologna)

Lessons will be held at the Polo della Memoria San Rossore 1938, via Risorgimento, 56126, Pisa.

The program will be activated also in distance learning mode (TEAMS platform).