Research News and Updates

Dr Withawat Withayachumnankul will be delivering a seminar titled 'Terahertz Technology: from Devices and Systems towards Sensing and Communications' on Thursday 25^th September, at 1pm in MAS 2.06. 

Abstract

Recent advancement in terahertz technology has spurred an ongoing paradigm shift in the field from physics to engineering. Consequently, the field inches closer towards practical applications in sensing and communications. Soon, we can envisage deployment of terahertz systems for in-situ non-destructive evaluation, stand-off security screening, and 6G+ communications with terabit-per-second data rates. Here in this talk, I will provide an overview of latest research activities in my group, spanning broadly from devices and systems towards sensing and communications. We will delve into metasurfaces that break the limitations of natural materials in this frequency range. We will explore unorthodox antennas and our own proprietary integrated platform, specifically designed for terahertz waves. We will understand how terahertz waves can offer new sensing capabilities in security, defence, food, and agriculture. Our recent breakthroughs in communications over 300 GHz carriers will be discussed. Owing to the unique location of terahertz waves on the electromagnetic spectrum, techniques and tools from both the microwave and photonic domains have been adapted and enhanced by novel materials, fabrication, and design approaches. A forward-looking dimension will accompany all these research activities.

Biography

Withawat Withayachumnankul earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electronic engineering from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), Thailand, in 2001 and 2003, respectively. He later obtained a doctorate degree in electrical engineering from the University of Adelaide, Australia, in 2010. Following the completion of his doctoral study, Dr. Withayachumnankul was honoured with a prestigious 3-year Australian Research Council (ARC) Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2010. In 2015, he further expanded his global research experience as a Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) at Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Currently serving as a Professor at the University of Adelaide, Dr. Withayachumnankul is also the Founding Leader of the Terahertz Engineering Laboratory. Additionally, he has held the position of Visiting Researcher at Osaka University since 2017. Actively contributing to the academic community, he serves as a member of the Australian Research Council (ARC) College of Experts and holds the role of Track Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology. During the period of 2017-2018, Dr. Withayachumnankul served as the Chair of the IEEE South Australia Joint Chapter on Microwave Theory and Techniques (MTT) & Antennas and Propagation (AP). His prolific scholarly contributions are reflected in over 120 journal publications. In recent years, he has taken the lead in four ARC Discovery Projects, securing funding exceeding AUD 2 million. Dr. Withayachumnankul's research interests span a diverse range, encompassing terahertz integration, metasurfaces, antennas, radar, communications, and non-destructive evaluation. Notably, he received the IRMMW-THz Society Young Scientist Award in 2020 and holds the distinction of being an Optica Fellow 2024 Class.