Research Initiation Award: Investigation and Design of Terahertz Communication Systems with Artificial Intelligence

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The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Research Initiation Awards provide support for junior and mid-career faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are building new research programs or redirecting and rebuilding existing research programs. It is expected that the award helps to further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness and improve research and teaching at the home institution. This award to Howard University provides an opportunity to analyze Terahertz (THz)-band communication to meet the needs of next generation cellular communication systems. Specifically, artificial intelligence tools will be applied to digital and statistical signal processing techniques, network protocols, and linear and non-linear optimization techniques to develop analytical performance analysis tools, design innovative algorithms, and validate computer simulation techniques. This project provides an opportunity to train undergraduate and graduate students, thereby contributing to the next generation of scientists who can contribute to scientific innovation, creativity, and productivity.Data transmission in Terahertz (THz)-band, namely 0.1 THz to 10 THz, holds the potential of using the wide bandwidths available at THz frequencies to meet the high data rate requirements of the (next) sixth generation (6G) of cellular communications. However, the unprecedented multi-GHz bandwidth in THz-band comes at the expense of high propagation loss, blockage effect, molecular absorption, and the requirement for sophisticated design of radio frequency electronics. Therefore, this project describes three major research thrusts, 1) investigate fundamental challenges for baseband signal processing while operating at THz-band, 2) design innovative, explainable, scalable, low-complexity, and robust algorithms and protocols while leveraging machine and deep learning, and 3) analyze the end-to-end system performance in a standardized simulation platform. Overall, the goal of this project is to address the signal processing challenges, develop an accurate channel model of the THz band in different propagation environments to predict channel behavior between various system configurations.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.