Ricerc@Sapienza

We propose the acquisition of a Vector Network Analyzer, to be installed in a dedicated room of the Physics department of the Sapienza University. The equipment is complemented by high frequency heads and feed-horns for tests at millimeter wavelengths, for frequencies up to 500 GHz. It will serve a wide variety of research lines (some already active among the proposers) very significantly enhancing their measurement capabilities and their position in the international context. These projects include the development and characterisation of mm/sub-mm wave quasi-optical (QO) components and metamaterials; the measurement of optical beams, optical systematics and Wood¿s anomalies; the development and characterisation of waveguide devices and systems; sub-THz spectroscopy for materials applications; test of microwave components for scientific and communication space applications; development of custom components for axion detection in light shining thru wall experiments; optimization of custom components for Gravitational Waves measurements through electromagnetic conversion, and several more. The equipment will be maintained and managed by a team of scientists and will be made available to the scientific community in Sapienza. In addition, the instrument will be available, for a fee and still operated by the same team, to carry out externally requested measurements. In fact we can forecast a sizable interest of the high-tech companies in the Rome area, due to the growing industrial use of high frequency microwaves and the lack of similar instrumentation in the region.