2024 Outstanding Bachelor Student Award － Boyu Zhang （Hirokawa Laboratory）－

In this study, I worked on improving the performance of a wireless communication technology known as the "beam-switching matrix."

In recent years, next-generation wireless communication standards such as 5G and the upcoming 6G have begun to utilize higher frequency bands. However, these high frequencies present challenges such as reduced signal reach and increased transmission loss. To overcome these issues, analog beamforming has attracted significant attention. Among its approaches, the low-loss "beam-switching matrix" is expected to significantly enhance the performance of antennas used in base stations and mobile terminals.

This study focused on an unexplored configuration within the generalized structures of four-beam switching matrices. I proposed a new structure using couplers with smaller coupling ratios, which enabled both miniaturization and bandwidth expansion. As a result, it becomes possible to achieve more stable communication over a wider frequency range. This improvement is expected to contribute to the further miniaturization and performance enhancement of wireless communication devices, and ultimately to the practical implementation of next-generation communication standards. The technology holds promise for a wide range of applications, including autonomous driving, IoT, and smart cities..

I am deeply honored to receive the Bachelor’s Outstanding Student Award.

This achievement would not have been possible without the invaluable guidance of Professor Hirokawa, the assistance of my senior Shengjia Wu, who taught me analytical models, the advice from my laboratory colleagues, the support from our laboratory's administrative staff, and the opportunities provided by my family. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all of them.

I will continue to devote myself to further research in the future.