Amsterdam is a city that needs no introduction. The same is becoming true of European Microwave Week, which will celebrate its 7th year during the week of 11–15 October 2004 at the RAI Centre, home of the inaugural event in 1998. Since then, it has developed and matured into the premier microwave event in Europe and is set to capitalise once again on the success of previous years.


The Week covers all important aspects of RF, microwave, millimetre and sub-millimetre wave engineering, including microwave, opto-electronic and photonic devices, device and component technologies, compound semiconductors, nano-technologies, circuits and systems, theoretical as well as experimental approaches, wireless terrestrial- and satellite-based communication, radar and related sensor and imaging for transportation, earth observation, medical, and other important areas of application. Complementing the conferences, a variety of dedicated workshops, short courses and focused sessions address topics in the field of microwave technologies.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the nuts, bolts and software of the industry will be on show at the European Microwave Exhibition, the leading trade show on RF and microwaves in Europe. Here, global players from afar a field as the US and Asia will be alongside their European counterparts to display their latest products and services, offering visitors the opportunity to discover what is new and under development.

The official European Microwave Week opening ceremony on Tuesday morning is open to delegates from all conferences, while the EuMW Welcome Buffet on Tuesday evening will provide a relaxed and convivial atmosphere for delegates and exhibitors to get together.

To make sure that you do not miss these important events and to help you plan your visit the following quick reference guide is designed to complement the Conference Programme and Exhibition Catalogue, where you will find more complete information.

The Conferences

The four conferences together span the length of the week, and are scheduled as follows:

  • GAAS®2004 – the Gallium Arsenide and other Compound Semiconductors Application Symposium takes place on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12
  • The European Conference on Wireless Technology (ECWT 2004) is also on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12
  • The 34th European Microwave Conference (EuMC 2004) runs from Tuesday 12 to Thursday 14
  • The European Radar Conference (EuRAD) ends the week on Thursday 14 and Friday 15

Registration begins on Sunday 10 (16.00 – 19.00) and commences at 07.30 each morning from Monday 11 to Friday 15. The registration area and conference proceedings distribution desk will be located just inside the main entrance to the Forum. The conference area is in rooms L, M, N, O and P (to the right of Hall 10), the Forum (near Hall 10) and rooms R, S, T and U (above the Jade Lounge to the right of Hall 8).

GAAS“2004

Continuing its tradition as the leading conference in Europe for compound semiconductors, RF devices and microwave circuit applications, the conference has attracted paper submissions from 25 countries, covering a broad spectrum of topics. The number of paper submissions has increased again this year and, as a result, the conference will feature more than 130 oral presentations in 28 sessions and three workshops and short courses. Focused sessions will be organized regarding the activities in two EU Networks of Excellence, a special session will be dedicated to the state-of-the-art in Eastern Europe and focused sessions will highlight new emerging technologies such as GaN and SiGe. Also included will be sessions on space technologies, integrated transceiver modules and low phase noise oscillators.

Tuesday afternoon will be dedicated to industrial aspects, featuring invited speakers from industry and an industrial round table panel session. On Wednesday three workshops and short courses will cover key subjects, in addition to workshops on GaN and CMOS for wireless. The High Power Amplifier Design short course is also continuing this year.

Prizes and Awards

The best three papers presented will be awarded the GAAS“ Prizes, which are sponsored by Alenia Spazio, United Monolithic Semiconductors and Elisra Electronic Systems Ltd. Also, the GAAS® Association has assigned up to five Fellowships for young graduate researchers in order to enable them to attend the conference.

The European Conference on Wireless Technology (ECWT)

This year the conference has been brought forward to the first two days of European Microwave Week. The opening session on Monday morning is open to all participants of EuMW. Keynote speakers will address the present trends of wireless communications, which will also be covered in the closing session on Tuesday afternoon. In total, 93 technical papers will be presented in 18 oral and poster sessions. There is a focused session on Strategic Vision for Future Wireless, two workshops on Wireless Communications: Visions, Roadmaps and Enabling Technologies and Secure Wireless Personal Networks, and a joint workshop with the European Microwave Conference on Future Challenges in Space-time Wireless Communications.

Prizes and Awards

The ECWT Prize will be awarded for the best contributed paper, while the ECWT Young Engineer Prize will go to a young engineer who has submitted and presented an outstanding paper at the conference.

The European Microwave Conference (EuMC)

The number of submitted papers was over 600 and, after review, the Technical Program Committee (TPC) was able to define a programme of high quality papers and achieve a good balance of topics in the various areas of interest. Papers will be presented during 46 regular sessions and two poster sessions, while subjects of common interest with the other conferences are scheduled in 13 common sessions. Five focused sessions are included in order to complement the submitted papers on issues that are special to EuMC, and detailed presentations and discussions on selected topics are scheduled in an additional seven workshops. The scientific programme is complemented by other technical events, like the excursion to the Royal Netherlands’ Navy frigate and the historical booth on radar technology in the exhibition.

Prizes and Awards

The EuMC Microwave Prize will be given in recognition of the best contributed paper. Also, the EuMC Young Engineer Prize will go to the young engineer judged to have submitted and presented an outstanding paper at the conference.

EuRAD

In its inaugural year the conference received over 100 high level papers with interesting contributions from many countries, including the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union. Although the TPC had the difficult task of selecting around 60 percent of the submitted papers, it managed to come up with an attractive offering of regular sessions, a poster session, focused sessions and a workshop.

Prizes and Awards

The Raytheon sponsored EuMW Radar Prize will be awarded to the paper that best advances the state-of-the-art in radar.

The Exhibition

Reflecting the reality that academic and commercial development run side by side to fulfill mutual goals and to move the industry forward, this year even more effort than before has gone into marrying the academic with the industrial. Specific industrial sessions have been scheduled within the conference, workshops address practical applications and the exhibition has attracted key players in the industry.

The free exhibition spans the middle three days of the Week and is located in Halls 9 and 10. It offers the ideal opportunity to catch up with international companies on their stands (see the latest exhibitor list on page 52). Exhibitors will be showcasing the latest product innovations and offering visitors hands-on demonstrations and the chance to talk technical with the experts. That will also be the case at the various technical exhibitor workshops and seminars that are being held to complement the exhibition. Additionally, 100 years of radar will be demonstrated at a special historical booth sponsored by Thales Nederland and TNO-FEL, while the European Space Agency (ESA) sponsors a stand focusing on space technology. A booklet presenting the Dutch contribution to the 100-year history of radar will be available for all delegates at this historical booth.

Exhibition Opening Hours

Tuesday 12 October: 09.30 – 17.30 (followed by the Welcome Reception at 18.30)

Wednesday 13 October: 09.30 – 17.30

Thursday 14 October: 09.30 – 16.30

Traveling to RAI

The Exhibition and Congress Centre has its own railway station and is less than ten minutes’ traveling time by train from Schiphol Airport. Although it is located on the outskirts of Amsterdam, the city centre, with its attractive canals, pavement cafés, tourist attractions and a wide range of entertainment, is just fifteen minutes away by public transport. The express trams are ideal for longer journeys within the city boundaries, and the ordinary trams stop right in front of the RAI and provide a quick and convenient service to all parts of Amsterdam. The Centre also has its own harbour on the side of the complex that borders the park and provides a direct connection to the extensive canal network.

Hotels and Sightseeing

Amsterdam is often considered to be one of the most colourful and diverse cities in the world, with its famous museums, diamond factories, cosy pubs, fun shops and flower markets. What is more, it has all the advantages of a big city — culture, history, entertainment and good transport, but is relatively small, quiet, and, thanks to its canals, has little road traffic. In fact, in Amsterdam your destination is never far away.

A fascinating, pretty city, criss-crossed by 17th century canals and studded with medieval buildings, the opportunities for sightseeing are numerous. For those that have time the ‘must sees’ include Begijnhof Square, the stunning 14th century Oude Kerk church, the Koninklijk Paleis (a royal palace), the Van Gogh Museum and Rembrandt House. For more sightseeing ideas, including where to eat and shop, a brief guide to Amsterdam starts on page 38.

Reservations

If you require hotel accommodations the RAI Hotel Service makes reservations at reduced rates in various three, four and five star hotels in Amsterdam. For more information contact the agency at Tel: +31 (0)20 549 1927, Fax: +31 (0)20 549 1946, or e-mail: hotelservice@rai.nl. Alternatively, visit www.eumw2004.com and click on Travel Info.

Social Events

On Monday 11 October at 19.00 each registered GAAS“ delegate is invited, as a guest of the GAAS“ Association, to the traditional GAAS“ Dinner, which will be onboard a Party Boat that will sail around Amsterdam Harbour. Further information will be available at registration.

The EuMW 2004 Welcome Buffet follows on Tuesday 12, from 18.30 to 21.00, in the Europa Restaurant at the RAI. Registered conference delegates from all four conferences together with exhibitors participating in the show are invited to the Buffet, which is sponsored by Agilent, EuMA and Horizon House.

On the evening of Wednesday 13 there will be a reception by invitation of the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Amsterdam in the city town hall. One author per paper presented at EuMW, as well as a number of industrial and organisation representatives, will receive a free ticket. Free transport to the city town hall will be by a number of canal boats, with the first one leaving the RAI at 17.30. More information will be available at the registration desk.

On Wednesday and Thursday there will be excursions to HrMs De Ruijter, which will be moored in Amsterdam Harbour and is equipped with the latest generation of radar. Delegates from GAAS“2004 and ECWT 2004 are invited after lunch on Wednesday 13 and delegates from EuMC 2004 on the same day from 17.30, with delegates from EuRAD invited on Thursday 14 from 17.30. The excursion is sponsored by the Royal Dutch Navy, Thales Nederland and TNO-FEL. On board the Naval vessel, drinks and snacks or a buffet will be served. Because of the limited capacity to host visitors, registration is required. This can be done in the Dutch Pavilion at the exhibition. General Information

In advance, take time to familiarise yourself with the event and plan your visit by logging onto the show Web site at www.eumw2004.com.