Solid state electronics and photonic integration for THz communications

无线网络上的数据流量持续呈指数级增长。COVID的流行几乎肯定会加速这种增长，并肯定会对企业和私人交换的数字化产生持久的影响。随着迈向早期第6代蜂窝系统(6G)(预计将于2030年推出)的道路已经开启，欧洲启动了战略行动，以推动下一代核心无线网络的基于欧洲的技术。利用申请者在这一领域正在采取的强有力的行动，我们建议采取颠覆性的步骤，将领先的法国和德国技术结合在面向系统的太赫兹通信方法中。SOLITONIC项目的目标是一种300 GHz、高达200Gbit/S的太赫兹发射机。利用光子和电子器件的最佳特性，我们提出了两种太赫兹技术的组合，具有最高的数据速率(光子学)和最高的输出线性功率(电子学)。这种方法将扩大太赫兹发射机的可开发动态范围，这是目前太赫兹系统的主要性能瓶颈，并使太赫兹系统级测试和太赫兹链路演示都超越了最先进的水平。主要目标是基于InGaAsHEMT技术的多通道单行载波(UTC)光电二极管和宽带功率放大器MMIC的最佳匹配定制设计，以实现新型300 GHz发射机。它包括以下方面的共同集成：a)对于法国合作伙伴(CNRS，Lille)，通过多条激光线路的光子混合，设计用于300 GHz下转换的多通道THzUTC光电二极管，该设计针对250-350 GHz的操作进行了优化；b)对于德国合作伙伴(斯图加特大学)，InGaAs HEMT有源放大器的设计将能够达到公里范围传输所需的宽带线性输出功率。为了释放电子与光子组合的全部潜力，所有组件将经过定制设计，以实现最佳增益和线性度划分以及级间阻抗匹配。在两个核心芯片共集成后，我们将利用光学预失真技术来优化组合UTC+放大器输出的性能和信号完整性，建立在两个合作伙伴的现有技术开发的独特光子THz测量技术的基础上。

Data traffic over wireless networks keeps following an exponential growth rate. The COVID pandemic will almost certainly have accelerated this growth and surely have a lasting effect on the digitization of business and private exchange. With the road open towards early 6th generation of cellular systems (6G), expected for 2030, Europe initiated strategic actions to push forward European-based technologies for the next generation core wireless networks. Leveraging on on-going strong action established in this field by the applicants, we propose a disruptive step in combining leading French and German technologies in a system-oriented approach for THz communication. The SOLITONIC project targets a THz transmitter at 300 GHz with up to 200 Gbit/s. Using the best features of photonic and electronic devices, we propose a combination of two THz technologies, featuring highest data-rates (photonics) and highest output linear powers (electronics). This approach will enhance the exploitable dynamic range of the THz transmitter, which is today’s major performance bottleneck in THz systems, and enable beyond state-of-the art in both THz system-level testing as well as THz link demonstrations. The main objective is the optimally-matched custom design of multi-channel uni-travelling carrier (UTC) photodiodes and wideband power amplifier MMICs based on InGaAs HEMT technology to achieve a new class of 300 GHz transmitter. It includes a co-integration of:a) For the French partner (CNRS, Lille) the design of multi-channel THz UTC photodiodes for 300 GHz down-conversion through photonic mixing of multiple laser lines, optimized for 250-350 GHz operation.b) For the German partner (University of Stuttgart), the design of InGaAs HEMT active amplifiers will enable to reach the required wideband linear output powers for km-range transmissions.In order to unlock the full potential of the electronic-photonic combination, all components will be custom-designed for optimum gain and linearity partitioning as well as interstage impedance matching. After co-integration of the two core chips, we will make use of optical pre-distortion techniques to optimize the performance and signal integrity at the combined UTC+amplifier output, building on unique photonic THz measurement techniques developed in the prior art of the two partners.