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The Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) is internationally recognized for research and teaching quality in many different fields of expert...
Besøk arbeidsgiverens sideThe Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) is internationally recognized for research and teaching quality in many different fields of expert...
Besøk arbeidsgiverens sideGENERAL:
GNSS-R is a technique to carry out Earth observation based on reflections on the ground (or sea, or ice) of signals originating from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals. The proposed project consists of educating a new generation of experts, at doctoral level, able to bring a qualitative leap to this technology. The scientific and technological goal consists of developing such systems based on a synchronized constellation of Cubesats. An important advantage of this arrangement is the very low cost of cubesats and the possibility to increase resolution based on beamforming from the satellites. Ground truth, as well as some of the methods, will originate from near-field radar technology. This will require further research on all segments of GNSS-R technology and beyond: launching and adjustment of cubesat formations, RF synchronization, interferometry between moving platforms, calibration of RF front-ends, ground testing making use of drones, cubesat systems, on-board processing, data transfer and analysis, translation into ground truth and into predictions important for climate change studies and for optimal territory management. The project may also benefit to other technologies making use of interferometry, such as radioastronomy and phased array based communications. It is also expected to assist industry segments making use of GNSS signals, such as precision agriculture, forestry and sea and land management.
Training programme for recruited researchers:
GLITTER offers a rich inter-sector training program, with private and academic partners, recognized in all segments of satellite-based Earth observation at microwaves. The program has been designed taking into consideration the “triple i” aspects: international, inter-sectoral, and inter-disciplinary, thanks to the different competences brought by each partner of the network as well as lecturer outside of the consortium with complementary competences.
Each Doctoral Candidate (DC) will benefit from an individual and customized training program, established in the Personal Career Development Plan (PCDP) that offers a combination of research specific and transferable skills. First, the core training, often but not always local, with order of 5 ECTs on specialized topics, close to a given DC personal project, to allow him/her to acquire a deep understanding of her/his subject. Second, the network-wide training will be offered by the consortium during the whole project life cycle through 4 training schools and 3 workshops. The workshops will include practical system-based development.
Job conditions
Each host organisation will appoint the successful applicant under an employment contract with a very competitive salary. The fellow is expected to join their host organizations starting from September 1st, 2024 (estimated time). Additional funding for participation to courses, workshops, conferences, etc. is ensured.
All positions include a doctoral track and the successful applicant will be registered for the PhD program at the host institution. If the doctoral track requires a longer duration than 36 months, the details and financial implications will be provided by the host institution.
EU eligibility criteria for candidates:
The Doctoral Candidate (DC) may be a national of a Member State, of an Associated Country or of any Third Country.
Researchers must be doctoral candidates (no doctoral degree at the date of recruitment)
The DC must not have resided or carried out her/his main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of her/his host organization for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to her/his recruitment. (Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not considered).
Candidates profile:
§ MSc degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering, or related fields.
§ Solid background in semiconductor physics and electronics simulation tools (Spice, Cadence, …), knowledge of semiconductor processing techniques is a plus.
§ Outstanding academic records.
§ Excellent communication skills in English.
§ Motivated, innovative thinker with a passion for tackling complex challenges in Earth observation and remote sensing.
All consortium members are equal opportunity employers.
Research centres:
§ Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
§ Technische Universiteit Delft, The Netherlands
§ Université du Luxembourg, Luxembourg
§ Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
§ Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, France
§ University of Cambridge, UK
§ Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain (Associated Partner)
Companies:
§ Syntony, France
§ Polychord Ltd., UK
§ Hydroscan, Belgium (Associated Partner)
To learn more about each of the nine thesis topics proposed in this project, please click on the following link: https://sites.uclouvain.be/DN_GLITTER/
Consortium-wide individual research projects:
DC1 – Multi-frequency GNSS-R signal processing
DC2 – Investigation of advanced reflectometry instrumental concepts with simulated scattered signals
DC3 – Developing an RF electronic system able to synchronize coherently signals received on different Cubesats
DC4 – Calibration of GNSS-R products for soil moisture using drone-borne radar
DC5 – Grazing angle GNSS-R for precise altimetry
DC6 – Calibration and drone-scale experiments
DC7 – Deployment and control of a distributed telescope as a formation of nanosatellites
DC8 – GNSS-R signals acquisition and ranging
DC9 – Cubesat system
DC10 – Frequency synchronization circuits in advanced CMOS technology for space-borne GNSS-R applications.
DC11 – Antenna technology
DC12 – CubeSat advanced Bayesian analysis and optimisation
Description of the project concerned by this offer (DC10)
Global Navigation Satellite Systems-based Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is a powerful way to retrieve information from a reflecting surface (for Earth observation) by exploiting GNSS as signals of opportunity. Depending on i) the sensing platform (ground-based, airborne, spaceborne), ii) the reflecting surface (ice, sea, land), and iii) the number of receiving antennas, the system/receiver provides different results, which allow for different applications. In this project we explore the possibility of generating beam forming networks for GNSS-R applications with receiving antennas that are spread across a swarm of small satellites. Such a system provides the advantage of increasing the gain of the antenna array, but presents a major challenge in terms of frequency synchronization across the multiple satellite-borne receivers.
This PhD aims at pushing forward the state-of-the-art GNSS-R receiver design by studying, designing and testing integrated circuits for frequency synchronization with high linearity, low phase noise and low consumption, with the ultimate goal of allowing synchronized beamforming in space. This will be achieved, in particular through the design, fabrication and test of phase-locked loops (PLL) in rad-hard-proven industrial fully-depleted (FD) SOI (Silicon-On-Insulator) CMOS (28 or 22 nm) technology, notably embedding an oscillator and a frequency divider. If needed, a specific low-noise amplifier might also be considered. The design will be hardened and tested against both total dose and heavy ion-induced transient effects.
The PhD candidate will do a research stay of 3 months at TU Delft to work on near-field radar hardware, and a research stay of 3 months at University of Luxemburg to work GNNS-R acquisition systems.
Research Field Engineering » Electronic engineering
Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
Specific Requirements
Languages ENGLISH
Level Excellent
Number of offers available 1
Company/Institute ICTEAM
Country Belgium
State/Province Brabant Wallon
City Louvain-la-Neuve
Postal Code 1348
Street Place du Levant, 3
E-mail dimitri.lederer@uclouvain.be
City Louvain-la-Neuve
Website http://www.uclouvain.be/icteam
Street Place du Levant, 3
Postal Code 1348
E-Mail dimitri.lederer@uclouvain.be
The Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) is internationally recognized for research and teaching quality in many different fields of expert...
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