Dr. Thomas Jones, Senior Research Associate for Purdue ECE, and his patented light-activated switch

Thomas Jones, Senior Research Associate for Purdue University’s Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and founder, director, and CEO of Jones Microwave Inc., has been awarded the 2023 Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research Excellence. This is CMC Microsystems most prestigious award, which recognizes excellence in research leading to new understanding, novel developments and/or applications in microsystems and nanotechnology in Canada. CMC is a not-for-profit organization accelerating research and innovation in advanced technologies.

During his joint post-doctoral fellowship at Purdue and the University of Alberta, Jones developed a light-activated switch that controls microwaves at high frequencies, high powers, and high speeds and could increase the bandwidth of mobile devices and other communications equipment. 

Jones says if the component works as well in the field as it does in the lab, it will allow cell phones, base stations, and other communication devices to access higher bandwidths at greater ranges, speeding up downloads and enabling future applications such as extended reality.He says the switch, which has been patented, can be integrated into waveguide systems or the back end of CMOS or other semiconductor processes. The next step is for Microwave Inc. to work with clients to build the component into their systems and field test it.

The company has a contract with the Canadian Department of National Defence.

“In a war zone, you are in a battle for electromagnetic space,” says Jones. ”You must be able to adapt to the constant attempts to spy on and jam communication lines, so you need higher security communications. These higher frequencies enable the military to have a superior level of control over the flow of information.” 

Jones began his research as a doctoral student at the University of Alberta working with Professor Mojgan Daneshmand, who led the Microwave to Millimetre-Wave (M2M) Lab at the University of Alberta and held the Canada Research Chair in Radio Frequency Microsystems for Communication and Sensing. 

After he finished his doctorate, Jones traveled to Purdue University to pursue a joint post-doctoral fellowship with Dimitrios Peroulis, Reilly Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Daneshmand. A few months later, in January 2020, Daneshmand and her family tragically lost their lives when Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down in Tehran, Iran. Her death was a devastating loss, as they had worked closely together for seven years and were both friends and colleagues, but the legacy of her work and guidance continues.

“She was very practical,” said Jones. “We focused our research on technologies that are needed today. Her impact on my professional life and contributions to the global microwave community will never be forgotten.” 

Jones says Daneshmand was convinced high-frequency bands would be critical to the future of communications. After her death, U of A’s Prof. Douglas Barlage took over her role, and with the continued support of Peroulis, helped Jones use silicon plasma technologies to address the challenges of controlling millimeter and sub-THz waves. 

“Our technology can handle more power than transistor switches with substantially less loss and can operate faster than alternative electromechanical switches with significantly improved lifetime, reliability, and integration,” said Jones.

The performance of the switch was so good, Jones decided to commercialize it. He says since the technology was patented, his company has taken on an investment from Brass Fund One LP. Along with the funding from the Canadian Department of National Defence IDEaS program, Jones says he will take the company and technology to the market.” 

Jones and CMC Microsystems have been working together long before this. Throughout his journey, CMC has provided help, including affordable licensing for CAD tools, industry-leading software for electronic design, access to a world-class clean room at the nanoFAB in Edmonton AB, and training in microfabrication.

“This has been a 10-year journey. CMC supported me throughout my PhD and post-doc and now as I build my own company. It is a real honour for me to be recognized with the Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research Excellence,” said Jones.

Source: CMC Microsystems Announces Winner of 2023 Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research Excellence