A Lancaster University engineer is to head up a prestigious international committee in a field that is at the cutting edge of modern communications.

Professor Claudio Paoloni, who is head of Lancaster University’s Engineering Department, has been reappointed as chair of the IEEE EDS Vacuum Electronics Technical Committee for the next two years.

Professor Paoloni has just completed an initial term of two years as chair of the esteemed group and, among other initiatives, has overseen the introduction of a ‘Vacuum Electronics Young Scientist Award’ recognising the achievements of an early career scientist.

The IEEE Vacuum Electronics Technical Committee comprises world experts in the field from industry, universities and research organisations to shape the future of the discipline, and by the annual `International Vacuum Electronics Conference’ assure the continue engagement and discussion for the progress of the field.

Professor Paoloni said: “The first two years in the role of Chair of the Vacuum Electronics Technical Committee have been a unique and exciting experience. It is invaluable to work with so many world-leading experts in vacuum electronics to shape the future of the discipline. I am very honoured by the opportunity to continue to contribute in this role.”

Before the advent of integrated circuits, vacuum electronics marked the beginning of electronic technologies.

One of the fathers of vacuum electronics, John Fleming, inventor of the first valve in 1904, was born in Lancaster. It was a ‘valve’ that permitted to Marconi the first transoceanic wireless transmission.

The field includes all the devices that generate signals taking the energy from a beam of electron travelling in a vacuum guide.

Vacuum electron devices are mostly used in areas such as satellite communications, defence, and healthcare.

Recent advances of the technology are opening new field of applications such as enabling nuclear fusion, bringing 5G wireless network in the millimetre wave and THz spectrum, increasing the range of security systems.

Professor Paoloni’s research projects include leading on the EC Horizon2020 TWEETHER and ULTRAWAVE projects, two major multimillion pound international project looking at ‘millimetre wave vacuum electronics technology’ for high speed wireless mobile and fixed access Internet. He also leads on two Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council projects, TERALINKS and DLINK to push the boundary of the propagation at millimetre waves for novel wireless networks.

Professor Paoloni’s research group has a state of the art laboratory pioneering the fabrication of millimetre wave travelling wave tubes.

The IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity with more than 426,000 members in 160 countries.