Nicholas P. Lawrence

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Nicholas P. Lawrence
Nicholas lawrence.jpg
Person_Name: Nicholas P. Lawrence
Birth_Date: 1972
Birth_Place: Chichester, U.K.
Fields: Engineering/Scientific Keywords: Electrical and Electronic Engineering, RF/Microwave, Millimeter-Wave, Linear High Power, Amplifiers, Antennas, Remote Sensing, Polarimetry, 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), MIMO, Satellite Communications, Tri-orthogonal Polarisation, Wideband Design, Optical Fibre Networks, Brillouin Sensing, Distributed Optical Sensing, Graphene, Metamaterials, Microwave Absorbers, Novel Materials and Techniques, Passive Radar, Clutter Mitigation

General Keywords: Engineering, Science, Project Management, Construction, Sales & Marketing

Workplaces: University of Adelaide
Undergrad_University: University of Leicester, U.K.
Undergrad_Degree: Physics
Masters_University: University of Portsmouth, U.K., University of Southampton, U.K.
Masters_Degree: Microwave Solid State Physics, Distributed Optical Fibre Sensing
Doctoral_University: University of Adelaide
Doctoral_Degree: Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Doctoral_Advisors: Derek Abbott, Brian Ng, and Hedley Hansen


Nicholas (Nick) Lawrence was born in Chichester, UK in 1972. He received the BSc(Hons) in Physics from the University of Leicester, UK, in 1995 and the MSc in Microwave Solid State Physics (Distinction) from the University of Portsmouth, UK in 1997. From 1998 to 2000, he worked in RF power amplifier design as an RF development engineer at Milmega Ltd., UK. From 2000 to 2002, Dr Lawrence studied fibre optic engineering at the ORC, University of Southampton, UK obtaining an MPhil in the process, before impending fatherhood led him back to industry at Wood & Douglas Ltd., UK, to work in OFDM and RF power systems, primarily for DVB-T broadcast, including BBC 1 Formula One (F1) television coverage. Following the untimely death of a family member, Nick was forced to alter his career path, instead opting for a stint in teaching secondary science, and in particular physics, to high school students in and around Portsmouth, UK. In 2005, Nick sought to extend his horizons, and opted to build, with his own hands, his growing family’s house in France, while working as an independent project manager on various construction projects, ranging from new build designs to renovation of old buildings using traditional methods. Throughout this time away from full-time RF design, he kept his skills up to date through off-site work with a RF power amplifier company based in the Bordeaux region of France. His linguistic ability in French has been commented upon by many and, coupled with his abilities in RF/microwave/optical engineering together with an ability to work precisely under little or no supervision, has meant that he has worked closely in a technical capacity with several French companies. In 2010, Nick and his family emigrated from France to Adelaide, Australia, after his wife was offered a senior position at a major hospital in the city. Following a period researching MIMO and diversity techniques at the University of South Australia, Dr Lawrence began his doctoral studies at the University of Adelaide, Australia under the supervision of Professor Derek Abbott, Dr Brian Ng, and Dr Hedley Hansen of the Defence, Science and Technology Group (DSTG), a large government research facility based in the outskirts of Adelaide. After only three and a half years of study, his PhD in Tri-Orthogonal Polarisation Diverse Communications was granted with a Dean’s commendation for doctoral thesis excellence. This period produced a total of nine publications in high quality scientific journals, as well as the simulation, design and subsequent testing of a planar antenna providing three orthogonal modes capable of providing beam-steerable radiation from the antenna surface through combinations of electromagnetic field phase variation and differentially fed modal inputs. Since the granting of his doctorate in 2017, Dr Lawrence has worked on various contracts with DSTG, ranging from antenna design and testing to novel microwave absorber design. Dr Lawrence is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (MIET), UK, and a former member (lapsed subscription) of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (MCIL), UK.


Bachelor's degree

  • BSc Physics (Hons), University of Leicester, UK.
  • Project: The Characteristics of Semiconductors at Extremes of Temperature.

Master's degree

  • MSc Microwave Solid State Physics (Distinction), University of Portsmouth, UK.
  • Thesis: The Design of Hybrid Circuits Using Coplanar Waveguide.

This research modelled the thermal profile of a commercially available wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical fibre amplifier, and ultimately led to improved reliability as the internal microstrip propagation technique was replaced with that of coplanar waveguide.

Cette recherche a simulé le profil thermique d’un amplificateur, à multiplexage par répartition en longueur d'onde (WDM), destiné aux réseaux fibre-optiques. Elle a mené à une amélioration en termes de fiabilité, grâce au remplacement de la technique de propagation interne de microstrip avec celle de guide d'ondes coplanaire.

Master's degree

  • MPhil Optical Distributed Sensing Methods, ORC, University of Southampton, UK.
  • Thesis: Microwave Detection Techniques Applied to Temperature and Strain Sensing of Optical Fibres.

This research developed a microwave detection system for coherent detection of spontaneous Brillouin-based distributed temperature and strain measurements. The system was designed to overcome the existing bandwidth limitations of a previously used commercial spectrum analyser and provide a commercially practical solution to the detection of the Brillouin frequency shift and intensity for long range high spatial resolution measurements. The detection system bandwidth corresponded to a potential spatial resolution of ~60 cm. The system was demonstrated as a temperature sensor over a range of 30 km, with a temperature resolution of 1.6 °C and spatial resolution of ~2 m. It was also demonstrated as a combined temperature and strain sensor over a range of 6.3 km with ~1.3 m spatial resolution; temperature and strain resolutions of 3 °C and 80 µε respectively were achieved.

Cette recherche a développé un système de détection aux hyperfréquences pour la détection cohérente des mesures distribuées de température et de tension, basée sur la diffusion à l’effet Brillouin. Le système a été conçu afin de surmonter les limitations de la largeur de bande d’une analyse de spectre, disponible dans le commerce, et ainsi fournir une solution pratique pour ce type de détection, tout en allongeant la distance de détection. La résolution ainsi fournie par le nouveau système offrait une résolution spatiale potentielle de 0.6m. Une résolution de température de 1.6 °C a été mesurée avec une résolution spatiale de 2m sur une longueur de 30km. Le système a pu également être utilisé pour des mesures simultanées de température et de tension sur une longueur de 6.3km, permettant une résolution spatiale de 1.3m, une résolution de température de 3°C et de tension de 80 µε.

Doctoral degree

‘This thesis investigates improving communication link coverage through tri-orthogonal polarisation diversity that exploits radiated electromagnetic energy transmission and reception in three orthogonal spatial directions. A tri-orthogonal polarisation diverse approach is shown in the thesis to be beneficial for signal reception over a range of channels, both in the areas of terrestrial and satellite communications. Both software and hardware original contributions are presented. The thesis is relevant to next generation wireless communications, such as 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT), as tri-orthogonal polarisation diversity is likely to play an increasing role in the future as systems look to cope with increasing data traffic through efficient use of electromagnetic energy.’

Recherche explorant l’amélioration du lien de communication sans fil par l’introduction de la diversité de polarisation tri-orthogonale. Ce travail est bien pertinent à l’introduction de la prochaine génération des systèmes de communication sans fil (Internet des Objets, 5G), vu que l’énergie électromagnétique aura besoin d’être mieux gérée en conséquence de la croissance rapide des systèmes connectés. Cette recherche a mené à la conception d’une antenne démontrant le contrôle reconfigurable de radiation aux micro-ondes. Ce contrôle est basé sur l’effet de combinaison de trois modes orthogonaux rayonnants de la surface d’une antenne planaire. En addition de cette antenne, les résultats simulateurs en trois dimensions renforcent la valeur de cette technique.

Positions

  • Research Fellow, Institute for Telecommunications Research, School of Information Technology and Mathematical Sciences, The University of South Australia, SA, Australia (2018–Present)
  • Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia (2017–Present)
  • PhD Researcher, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia (2013–2017)
  • Researcher, Institute for Telecommunications Research (ITR), The University of South Australia, SA, Australia (2011–2012)
  • Independent Project Manager, France (2005–2010)
  • RF/Microwave Engineer, RFPA SA, France (2003–2005)
  • Teacher of Secondary Science, Portsmouth, UK (2004–2005)
  • RF/Microwave Engineer, Wood & Douglas Ltd, Baughurst, UK (2002–2003)
  • RF/Microwave Engineer, Milmega Ltd, Isle of Wight, UK (1998–2000)
  • Sales & Marketing Representative, Zeneca Agrochemicals, (1996)
  • Civil & Coastal Engineer,Lawrence & Davies Construction, Chichester, UK (1995–1996)

Awards and Additional Qualifications

  • Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence, (2017)
  • Australian Postgraduate Award (APA), (2013)
  • Chartered Engineer (CEng) Status, (2004)
  • Chartered Linguist (MCIL), (2000)
  • Dip. in French Translation (level equivalent to BA (French)), (1999)
  • A-levels in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, and French. 10 GCSEs, (1991)

Scientific genealogy

Google Scholar profile

Journal articles

[1] N. P. Lawrence, B. W.-H. Ng, H. J. Hansen, and D. Abbott, "5G terrestrial networks: Mobility and coverage–solution in three dimensions," IEEE Access, Vol. 5, pp. 8064–8093, 2017, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2017.2693375 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate Academia

[2] N. P. Lawrence, C. Fumeaux, and D. Abbott, "Planar slot antenna with circular and vertical polarization diversity," Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 59, No. 10, pp. 2479–2484, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1002/mop.30765 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate [Academia]

[3] N. P. Lawrence, C. Fumeaux, and D. Abbott, "Planar triorthogonal diversity slot antenna," IEEE Transactions on Antennas & Propagation, Vol. 65, No. 3, pp. 1416–1421, 2017, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TAP.2016.2647719 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate Academia

[4] N. P. Lawrence, C. Fumeaux, and D. Abbott, "Wideband substrate-integrated monopole antenna," Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 58, No. 8, pp. 1855–1857, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mop.29925 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate Academia

[5] N. P. Lawrence, H. J. Hansen, and D. Abbott, "Tri-orthogonal polarization diversity for 5G networks," Transactions on Emerging Telecommunications Technologies, pp. 2161–3915, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ett.3042 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate Academia

[6] N. P. Lawrence, H. J. Hansen, and D. Abbott, "Tri-orthogonal polarization diversity reception for nongeosynchronous satellite orbit ionospheric channels," International Journal of Satellite Communications and Networking,Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 2161–3915, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/sat.1203 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate [Academia]

[7] N. P. Lawrence, B. W.-H. Ng, H. J. Hansen, and D. Abbott, "Analysis of millimetre-wave polarization diverse multiple-input multiple-output capacity," Royal Society Open Science, Vol. 2,, No. 12, pp. 150322, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150322 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate [Academia]

[8] N. P. Lawrence, H. J. Hansen, and D. Abbott, "3-D low earth orbit vector estimation of Faraday rotation and path delay," IEEE Access,Vol. 3, pp. 1684–1694, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2015.2479247 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate [Academia]

Conference articles

[9] N. P. Lawrence, H. J. Hansen, and D. Abbott, "Implications of polarization impurity on diversity for 5G networks," Proc. 41th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, (IRMMW-THz), Copenhagen, Denmark, September 25–30, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IRMMW-THz.2016.7758493

[10] N. P. Lawrence, B. W.-H. Ng, H. J. Hansen, and D. Abbott, "Analysis of millimeter-wave polarization diverse MIMO capacity," Proc. 39th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, (IRMMW-THz), Tucson, Arizona, September 14–19, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IRMMW-THz.2014.6956121 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate

[11] N. P. Lawrence, B. W.-H. Ng, H. J. Hansen, and D. Abbott, "Analysis of polarization diversity at terahertz frequencies," Proc. 39th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, (IRMMW-THz), Tucson, Arizona, September 14–19, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IRMMW-THz.2014.6956120 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate

[12] N. P. Lawrence, B. W.-H. Ng, H. J. Hansen, and D. Abbott, "Analysis of millimeter-wave polarization diverse MIMO capacity," Proc. 39th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, (IRMMW-THz), Tucson, Arizona, September 14–19, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IRMMW-THz.2014.6956121 Scholar Google hits ResearchGate

See also

External links

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