Professor Alan Tennant
PhD, BEng
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Personal Chair
Professor of Applied Electromagnetics
Electrical Machines and Drives Research Group
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+44 114 222 5438
Full contact details
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Profile
-
I received a BEng degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Sheffield in 1985.
Following a period in industry (BAe Systems, Stevenage), I studied at Sheffield University and obtained a PhD degree in Electromagnetic Engineering/Medical Physics in 1992.
I then joined the Defence Research Agency (DRA) where I worked on phased array antenna systems before taking up an academic post at Hull University.
I returned to Sheffield University in 2001 as a Senior Lecturer and I am currently Professor of Applied Electromagnetics.
My research is focused on Antennas, Radar and Stealth (making things invisible to radar).
I am researching “active stealth” which is a bit like the Klingon cloaking device in Star Trek. When the cloak is switched on the Klingon spacecraft becomes invisible to the sensors on the Enterprise.
I am also developing new techniques for secure wireless communication that allow sensitive information to be transmitted without being “spied on” by eavesdroppers.
My research has attracted substantial funding from both industry and government sources including BAE Systems, DERA, DTi, QinetiQ, DSTL, MoD and EPSRC”
- Qualifications
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- PhD (1992, University of Sheffield)
- BEng (1985, University of Sheffield)
- Research interests
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- Radar signature management
- Active radar absorbers
- Textile (knitted) electromagnetic antennas and structures
- Phase modulating microwave structures and systems
- Antennas
- Phased array antennas and systems
- Secure antenna modulation techniques
- Publications
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Journal articles
- Experimental verification of nonreciprocal electromagnetic metasurface in a finite‐size array. Electronics Letters, 60(12).
- Spatial Scattering Modulation With Multipath Component Aggregation. IEEE Transactions on Green Communications and Networking, 1-1.
- Receive Mode Time Modulated Antenna Array Incorporating Subsampling -Theoretical Concept and Laboratory Investigation. IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation, 1-1.
- Statistical channel modelling of full‐angle 3.5 GHz OAM in indoor corridor scenario. Electronics Letters.
- Measuring coping in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using the Coping Index-ALS: A patient derived, Rasch compliant scale. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 421, 117285-117285.
- Reflective switchable polarisation rotator based on metasurface with PIN diodes. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation. View this article in WRRO
- A technique to control the harmonic levels in time modulated antenna arrays - theoretical concept and hardware verification platform. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation. View this article in WRRO
- Multiport Compact Stacked Patch Antenna with 360° beam steering for Generating Dynamic Directional Modulation. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 1-1.
- Generation and Beam Steering of Arbitrary-Order OAM With Time-Modulated Circular Arrays. IEEE Systems Journal, 1-8.
- Characterization of an eight element circular patch array for helical beam modes. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation. View this article in WRRO
- On the implementation of a dynamic direction modulation system with vector modulators. International Journal of Antennas and Propagation, 2019. View this article in WRRO
- Selective electron beam melting manufacturing of electrically small antennas. Advances in Science, Technology and Engineering Systems Journal (ASTES), 2(6), 70-75. View this article in WRRO
- Reply to comment on ‘Enhancing the security of communication via directly modulated antenna arrays’. IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation, 9(7), 714-714.
- Spatially Resolved Measurements of Magnetic Fields Applied to Current Distribution Problems in Batteries. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 64(4), 951-958. View this article in WRRO
- Experimental Time-Modulated Reflector Array. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 62(12), 6533-6536.
- Experimental circular phased array for generating OAM radio beams. Electronics Letters, 50(20), 1414-1415.
- Miniaturized Low Frequency Platform Tolerant Antenna. Progress In Electromagnetics Research, 146, 195-207.
- Wireless data encoding and decoding using OAM modes. Electronics Letters, 50(3), 232-233.
- Simultaneous, multichannel, spatially directive data transmission using direct antenna modulation. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 62(1), 403-410.
- Sidelobe reduction in a random spherical volumetric array using frequency diversity. Applied Acoustics, 74(6), 865-869.
- Fabrication of a 3D electrically-small antenna using holographic photolithography. J MICROMECH MICROENG, 23, 1-5.
- Knitted, textile, high impedance surface with integrated conducting vias. Electronics Letters, 49(1), 8-10.
- Secure communications based on directly modulated antenna arrays combined with multi-path. 2013 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2013, 582-586.
- LCMV beamforming applied to a time-modulated reflector-array: Concept and simulations. 2013 5th IEEE International Symposium on Microwave, Antenna, Propagation and EMC Technologies for Wireless Communications, MAPE 2013, 338-342.
- Generation of orbital angular momentum (OAM) radio beams with phased patch array. 2013 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2013, 410-413.
- MVDR beamforming applied to a time-modulated reflector-array. 2013 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2013, 591-594.
- Enhancing the security of communication via directly modulated antenna arrays. IET Microwaves, Antennas and Propagation, 7(8), 606-611.
- Compact low frequency varactor loaded tunable SRR antenna. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 61(4), 2301-2304.
- Experimental knitted, textile frequency selective surfaces. Electronics Letters, 48(22), 1386-1388.
- Generation of OAM radio waves using circular time-switched array antenna. Electronics Letters, 48(21), 1365-1366.
- Time-modulated reflector array. ELECTRONICS LETTERS, 48(16), 972-973.
- Generation of radio frequency OAM radiation modes using circular time-switched and phased array antennas. LAPC 2012 - 2012 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference.
- Secure physical-layer communication based on directly modulated antenna arrays. LAPC 2012 - 2012 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference.
- 3D saw-tooth frequency selective surfaces. LAPC 2012 - 2012 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference.
- Sidelobe control of a time-modulated reflector-array. LAPC 2012 - 2012 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference.
- Erratum: A two-channel time modulated linear array with adaptive beamforming (IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation (2012) 60:1 (141-147)). IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 60(9), 4472.
- Sideband suppression in time-modulated arrays using fixed bandwidth elements. Proceedings of 6th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2012.
- An experimental two element array configured for directional antenna modulation. Proceedings of 6th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2012, 1624-1626.
- Sideband level suppression in time-modulated linear arrays using modified switching sequences and fixed bandwidth elements. Electronics Letters, 48(1), 10-11.
- A two-channel time modulated linear array with adaptive beamforming. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 60(1), 141-147.
- A phase-modulating RF tag. LAPC 2011 - 2011 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference.
- Characteristics of a two element direction dependent antenna array. LAPC 2011 - 2011 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference.
- Sidebands suppression in time-modulated linear arrays using directive element patterns. LAPC 2011 - 2011 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference.
- Reduced sideband levels in time-modulated arrays using half-power sub-arraying techniques. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 59(1), 301-303.
- Loaded split ring antenna over AMC. ELECTRON LETT, 46(14), 971-972.
- Experimental Two-Element Time-Modulated Direction Finding Array. IEEE T ANTENN PROPAG, 58(3), 986-988.
- Simultaneous control of sidelobe level and harmonic beam steering in time-modulated linear arrays. ELECTRON LETT, 46(3), 200-201.
- A wireless communication system based on a time-modulated array. 2010 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2010, 245-248.
- Low sidelobe level harmonic beam steering using time-modulated linear arrays. 2010 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2010, 249-252.
- Time-Switched Array Analysis of Phase-Switched Screens. IEEE T ANTENN PROPAG, 57(3), 808-812.
- Direction finding using a four-element time-switched array system. 2008 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC, 181-184.
- Reflection of radar signals from multiple phase-modulated surfaces. IET RADAR SONAR NAV, 1(2), 142-148.
- Space-time analysis of phase-switched screens. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, AP-S International Symposium (Digest), 6035-6038.
- FDTD modelling of active radar absorbers. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, AP-S International Symposium (Digest), 6027-6030.
- A two-element time-modulated array with direction-finding properties. IEEE ANTENN WIREL PR, 6, 64-65.
- Dielectric phase-switched screen. IEE P-RADAR SON NAV, 153(4), 311-315.
- Detection of a radar signal reflected from a phase-modulated surface. IEE P-RADAR SON NAV, 153(4), 316-324.
- Acoustic imaging using a volumetric array. APPL ACOUST, 67(7), 680-688.
- Signature management of radar returns from wind turbine generators. SMART MATER STRUCT, 15(2), 468-472.
- Active dallenbach radar absorber. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, AP-S International Symposium (Digest), 381-384.
- SSB-type frequency scattering from a single-layer PSS with interlaced element modulation. IEEE ANTENN WIREL PR, 5, 284-285.
- Reflectivity null tuning in multi-layer phase-switched active radar absorbers. IEE P-RADAR SON NAV, 152(4), 245-247.
- RCS reduction of spiral patch antenna using a PSS boundary. IEE P-RADAR SON NAV, 152(4), 248-252.
- Experimental performance of a phase-switched screen against modulated microwave signals. IEE P-RADAR SON NAV, 152(1), 29-33.
- Measured performance of active radar absorber with either DC or modulated current control. ELECTRON LETT, 41(1), 44-45.
- Optimum switching of a phase-switched active radar absorber. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, AP-S International Symposium (Digest), 4 A, 485-488.
- Radar signature control of wind turbine generators. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, AP-S International Symposium (Digest), 4 A, 489-492.
- A smart radar absorber based on the phase-switched screen. IEEE T ANTENN PROPAG, 53(1), 394-403. View this article in WRRO
- View this article in WRRO
- Adaptive radar absorbing structure with PIN diode controlled active frequency selective surface. SMART MATER STRUCT, 13(1), 122-125.
- Predicting outcome for older people in a hospital setting: which scales are appropriate?. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 11(1), 25-30.
- A single-layer tuneable microwave absorber using an active FSS. IEEE MICROW WIREL CO, 14(1), 46-47. View this article in WRRO
- Single layer phase-switched screen using double-diode switching elements. ELECTRON LETT, 39(15), 1150-1152.
- Experimental cylindrical phase-switched screen. ELECTRON LETT, 39(14), 1088-1089.
- Experimental dual polarised phase-switched screen. ELECTRON LETT, 39(1), 119-121.
- Experimental broadband single layer PSS using reactive impedance switching. ELECTRON LETT, 39(1), 121-122.
- General analysis of the phase-switched screen. Part 1: The single layer case. IEE P-RADAR SON NAV, 149(5), 243-247.
- Influence of switching-waveform characteristics on the performance of a single-layer-phase switched screen. IEEE T ELECTROMAGN C, 44(3), 434-441. View this article in WRRO
- Controlled scattering from PEC surface using PSS boundary. ELECTRON LETT, 38(15), 780-781.
- In-phase and quadrature modulated scatterer. ELECTRON LETT, 38(11), 498-499.
- Bi-static scattering from cylindrical phase-switched screens. ELECTRON LETT, 37(25), 1507-1509.
- An acoustic volumetric array system. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 107(5), 2840-2840.
- A robot-controlled microwave antenna system for uniform hyperthermia treatment of superficial tumours with arbitrary shape.. Int J Hyperthermia, 6(1), 193-202.
- Accurate and Efficient Evaluation of Bit Error Rate for Dynamic Directional Modulation for Standard Modulation Schemes. Electronics, 10(7), 776-776.
Conference proceedings papers
- The Time Modulated Array for Channel Sounding Measurements – Concept and Initial Field Tests. 2024 18th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 17 March 2024 - 22 March 2024.
- Subsampling Time-Modulated Array for Reduced Hardware Down Conversion and Beamforming. 2024 18th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 17 March 2024 - 22 March 2024.
- Nonreciprocal Metasurfaces Analyzing Temperature Characteristics. 2024 18th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 17 March 2024 - 22 March 2024.
- Fundamental Study on Electrically Controllable Broadband and Thin Non-Reciprocal Metasurface. 2023 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting (USNC-URSI), 23 July 2023 - 28 July 2023.
- An Experimental System for the Measurement of Electromagnetic Propagation on Curved Surfaces. 2023 17th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 26 March 2023 - 31 March 2023.
- An Upconverting Superheterodyne Metamaterial. 2023 17th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 26 March 2023 - 31 March 2023.
- Performance evaluation of spatial scattering modulation in the indoor environment. Proceedings of 2022 International Symposium on Wireless Communication Systems (ISWCS). Hangzhou, China, 19 October 2022 - 22 October 2022. View this article in WRRO
- Multibeam Directional Secure Transmission with Multiport Compact Antenna. 2022 16th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP) (pp 1-5)
- Measurements of 3.5 GHz OAM Misaligned Channels in Indoor Corridor Scenarios. 2021 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting (APS/URSI), 4 December 2021 - 10 December 2021.
- Multiport Compact Stacked Patch Antenna For Multichannel Dynamic Directional Modulation, Vol. 00 (pp 1-4)
- Study of Printed Scattering Reflectors Based on Discretised Metasurface. 2020 14th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 15 March 2020 - 20 March 2020.
- Multichannel Dynamic Directional Modulation with Software Defined Radio. 2020 14th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 15 March 2020 - 20 March 2020.
- Convergence of OAM Beams Using Time-Modulated Concentric Circular Arrays. 2020 14th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 15 March 2020 - 20 March 2020.
- Implementation of Dynamic Directional Modulation with Software Defined Radio. 2019 IEEE-APS Topical Conference on Antennas and Propagation in Wireless Communications (APWC), 9 September 2019 - 13 September 2019.
- Influence of Non-ideal Components in a Dynamic Directional Modulation System. 2018 IEEE-APS Topical Conference on Antennas and Propagation in Wireless Communications (APWC), 10 September 2018 - 14 September 2018.
- Dual Channel Broadcast using Phase-Only Directional Modulation System. 2018 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation & USNC/URSI National Radio Science Meeting, 8 July 2018 - 13 July 2018.
- Reduction of Orbital Angular Momentum Radio Beam Divergence Using a 3D Printed Planar Graded Index Lenses. 12th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP 2018)
- View this article in WRRO
- OAM 3D vector field visualization with CFDTD on CUDA GPUs. 2017 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation & USNC/URSI National Radio Science Meeting, 9 July 2017 - 14 July 2017.
- Coefficient compression techniques for conformal FDTD on CUDA devices. 2017 IEEE MTT-S International Conference on Numerical Electromagnetic and Multiphysics Modeling and Optimization for RF, Microwave, and Terahertz Applications (NEMO), 17 May 2017 - 19 May 2017.
- Hardware implementation of directional modulation system with a 2 element antenna array. 2017 11th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP), 19 March 2017 - 24 March 2017.
- Evaluation of GAM-radio mode detection using the phase gradient method. 2017 11th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP), 19 March 2017 - 24 March 2017.
- Efficiency measurements of additive manufactured electrically small antennas. 2017 International Workshop on Antenna Technology: Small Antennas, Innovative Structures, and Applications (iWAT), 1 March 2017 - 3 March 2017.
- Metasurface synthesis using susceptibility tensors and holographic technique. IET Conference Publications, Vol. 2017(CP732)
- Moisture effects on a knitted waveguide. 2016 Loughborough Antennas & Propagation Conference (LAPC), 14 November 2016 - 15 November 2016.
- Hardware implementation of directional modulation system. 2016 Loughborough Antennas & Propagation Conference (LAPC), 14 November 2016 - 15 November 2016.
- Hardware implementation of a direction dependent antenna modulation system. 2016 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation (APSURSI), 26 June 2016 - 1 July 2016.
- 3D printed electrically small planar inverted-F antenna: Efficiency improvement through voluminous expansion. 2016 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation (APSURSI), 26 June 2016 - 1 July 2016.
- Compact Electrically Small Antenna for Smart Watch Application. USES
- Increasing the energy efficiency of time-modulated reflector-arrays using double layer designs. 2016 10th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 10 April 2016 - 15 April 2016.
- Improved efficiency electrically small planar inverted-F antenna. 2016 10th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), 10 April 2016 - 15 April 2016.
- Simulation of creeping waves on PEC cylinders and discussion of propagation constants. 2015 Loughborough Antennas & Propagation Conference (LAPC), 2 November 2015 - 3 November 2015.
- 3D dual resonance, high efficiency, electrically small planar inverted-F antenna. Wideband and Multi-Band Antennas and Arrays for Civil, Security [amp ] Military Applications
- 3D electrically small dome antenna. 2014 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference (LAPC), 10 November 2014 - 11 November 2014.
- An experimental phased array for OAM generation. 2014 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference (LAPC), 10 November 2014 - 11 November 2014.
- A knitted textile waveguide. 2014 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference (LAPC), 10 November 2014 - 11 November 2014.
- Time-switched arrays and reflect-arrays. 2014 USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting (Joint with AP-S Symposium), 6 July 2014 - 11 July 2014.
- Generation and detection of OAM signals for radio communications. 2014 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference (LAPC), 10 November 2014 - 11 November 2014.
- The measurement of creeping wave propagation constant on cylinders. The 8th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP 2014), 6 April 2014 - 11 April 2014.
- Covert communication using a directly modulated array transmitter. The 8th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP 2014), 6 April 2014 - 11 April 2014.
- Design and fabrication of meander line antenna on glass substrate. 2013 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2013 (pp 559-562)
- Direction dependent modulation of an RFID tag. 2012 6th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP), 26 March 2012 - 30 March 2012.
- Small antenna over AMC surface with/out vias. Proceedings of 6th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2012 (pp 2712-2715)
- Triple-band split ring antenna over loaded AMC surface. LAPC 2011 - 2011 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference
- Electrically small triple-band SRR antenna. Proceedings - 2011 International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications, ICEAA'11 (pp 831-834)
- Miniaturised split ring antenna over loaded AMC surface. 2010 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2010 (pp 305-308)
- DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE NEUROLOGICAL FATIGUE INDEX FOR MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE. JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY, Vol. 80(11)
- Beam steering techniques for time-switched arrays. Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC 2009 - Conference Proceedings (pp 233-236)
- Active coating for wind turbine blades. 2008 Loughborough Antennas and Propagation Conference, LAPC (pp 137-140)
- Active Absorber Research at The University of Sheffield. Electromagnetic Materials
- Wind turbine generators with active radar signature control blades. SMART STRUCTURES AND MATERIALS 2004: SMART ELECTRONICS, MEMS, BIOMEMS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY, Vol. 5389 (pp 486-495)
- An Introduction To The Phase-Switched Screen. Electromagnetic Materials
- Probe Filtered NF/FF Phase Retrieval Millimetre Wave Measurements: A Gude for Practising Antenna Engineers. 24th European Microwave Conference, 1994, 4 October 1994 - 6 October 1994.
- Null Steering in Adaptive Arrays using a Genetic Algorithm. 24th European Microwave Conference, 1994, 4 October 1994 - 6 October 1994.
- Relaxation of mechanical tolerances in phase retrieval antenna metrology. 1993 23rd European Microwave Conference, 6 September 1993 - 10 September 1993.
- Scanned microwave hyperthermia for the treatment of superficial malignancies. Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 29 October 1992 - 1 November 1992.
- A Synthetic Acoustic Volumetric Array. Fourth IEEE Workshop on Sensor Array and Multichannel Processing, 2006.
Preprints
- A nonreciprocal, magnetic metasurface, Authorea, Inc..
- Experimental verification of nonreciprocal electromagnetic metasurface in a finite‐size array. Electronics Letters, 60(12).
- Research group
- Teaching activities
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- EEE334
- EEE6220
- EEE347
- EEE6012
- First Year Profession Skills
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Aerospace board of studies
- Professor of Applied Electromagnetics
- Research students
Supervisions
Primary supervisor:
- Kaleeba P N
- Mufti S
- Shi H
- Tong Y
- Wang Y
Secondary supervisor:
- Alamri SM
- Hawes M B
- Hu D H
- Mohd Yasin M N