II-New: TeraNova: An Integrated Testbed for True Terahertz Communications

近年来，由于当今社会创造、分享和消费信息的方式发生了变化，无线数据流量激增。伴随这种变化的是对更快、更普遍的无线通信网络的需求不断增加。因此，预计在未来五到十年内，每秒太比特（Tbps）的无线链路将成为必需品。太赫兹（THz）波段（0.1至10太赫兹）通信被设想为满足这一需求的关键技术。多年来，由于缺乏产生和探测太赫兹波段信号的紧凑而有效的方法，限制了这种通信系统的可行性。太赫兹产生和探测方案的持续进展使源和探测器更容易获得，但目前还没有实验证明在真正太赫兹频率下无线通信的平台。这个TeraNova项目的目标是开发第一个专门针对真太赫兹频率（即1太赫兹及以上）的超宽带通信网络的综合试验台。试验台的主要组成部分如下：在传输中，使用基于肖特基二极管的乘频器和放大器在高于1thz的第一个吸收定义的传输窗口（即1到1.075 THz之间）产生太赫兹载波信号。基于相同技术的次谐波混频器利用宽带任意波形发生器产生的宽带信号对太赫兹载波信号进行调制。波形发生器具有两个并行通道，每个通道的模拟带宽为32千兆赫兹（GHz），具有8位分辨率的高采样率。每个波形可以定义，允许基带信号的精确控制。在接收中，使用相同的设置对调制太赫兹信号进行下变频并恢复发射符号。在解调和信号处理之前，通过高性能数字示波器显示和存储下变频信号，该示波器具有一个通道高达63 GHz的模拟带宽或两个通道每个通道33 GHz的模拟带宽。所描述的TeraNova测试平台提供了新的cise相关研究机会，包括开发和验证(i)精确的太赫兹信道模型，（ii）超宽带调制和解调技术，以及（iii）超大规模MIMO通信方案等。此外，TeraNova测试平台是一个独特的平台，用于测试和基准新型等离子体太赫兹通信设备。

Wireless data traffic has surged in recent years due to a change in the way society today creates, shares, and consumes information. Accompanying this change is an increasing demand for faster, more ubiquitous wireless communication networks. As a result, wireless Terabit-per-second (Tbps) links are expected to become a necessity within the next five to ten years. Terahertz (THz)-band (0.1 to 10 THz) communication is envisioned as a key technology to meet this demand. For many years, the lack of compact and efficient ways to generate and detect THz-band signals limited the feasibility of such communication systems. Ongoing advances in THz generation and detection schemes are making sources and detectors more readily available, but no platform currently exists to experimentally demonstrate wireless communication at true THz frequencies. The objective of this TeraNova project is to develop the first integrated testbed specific to ultra-broadband communication networks at true terahertz frequencies (i.e., 1 THz and above).The main components of the testbed are as follows. In transmission, a Schottky-diode-based frequency multiplier and amplifier is used to generate a THz carrier signal in the first absorption-defined transmission window above 1 THz, i.e., between 1 and 1.075 THz. A sub-harmonic mixer based on the same technology is used to modulate the THz carrier signal with the broadband signal to be transmitted, which is generated by means of a broadband arbitrary-waveform generator. The waveform generator has two parallel channels with an analog bandwidth of 32 Gigahertz (GHz) per channel and high sampling rate with 8-bit resolution. Each waveform can be defined allowing precise control of baseband signals. In reception, the same setup is used to down-convert the modulated THz signal and recover the transmitted symbols. The downconverted signal is displayed and stored, prior to demodulation and signal processing, by means of a high performance digital oscilloscope, which has up to 63 GHz of analog bandwidth for one channel or 33 GHz per channel with two channels. The described TeraNova testbed enables new CISE-related research opportunities, including development and validation of (i) accurate THz channel models, (ii) ultra-broadband modulation and demodulation techniques, and (iii) ultra-massive MIMO communication schemes, among others. In addition, the TeraNova testbed serves as a unique platform to test and benchmark novel plasmonic THz devices for communications.