Circulator

A radio wave circulator is the component within electronic devices that directs radio frequency signals. Traditional radio frequency circulators are composed of magnetised ferrite materials. While they provide good signal circulation, they’re limited due to bulky size and narrow bandwidths. They include a magnet and two antennas, one for sending information and the other for receiving. As the need for greater data capacity has grown, the spectrum has become more crowded, and research has been focusing on creating a lighter circulator that would also reduce spectrum demand.

The industry goal has been focused on creating a circulator with full duplex functionality, making it possible for data to be simultaneously sent and received on the same signal and for transmission speed to instantly double. In addition, the ideal circulator would be small enough to fit on a nanochip. However, between the reliance on old technology that includes a magnet and other heavy materials, the circulator could not be placed on a nanochip that would fit inside wireless devices.

Dr. Harish Krishnaswamy has successfully designed and produced a radio wave circulator with full duplex functionality that is integrated onto a chip and does not require a magnet or other ferrite materials. Further reducing the size and weight of the circulator, it operates with a single external antenna. Therefore, while significantly increasing the speed and capacity of data transmission, Dr. Krishnaswamy has designed a circulator that is light enough and small enough to fit on a tiny chip which can then be placed inside even small wireless devices such as mobile phones.