Photonic Technologies for Terahertz Wireless Communication Systems

无线通信系统是现代社会的组成部分。在全国范围内，无线产业为国内生产总值贡献了235亿美元，投资27亿美元，创造了134，100个就业机会。在国际范围内，无线产业占全球国内生产总值的近4%，贡献了3.8万亿美元，遍布236个国家。然而，现有的无线技术面临着一个迫在眉睫的挑战。现代无线系统依赖于射频技术，载波频率从3 kHz到300 GHz，但对射频系统的需求每18个月翻一番。由于许可的无线电频段数量有限，我们现在看到容量有限。频谱稀缺是该行业的一个严重问题。 光无线系统的出现是对上述问题的回应。这些自由空间系统通常采用视距红外链路，载波频率范围为10 THz至300 THz，以提供超高数据速率和无线移动性。然而，已经发现该系统具有与非相干检测、强环境光噪声和眼睛安全限制相关的实际挑战。正是由于这些挑战，无线通信中的新概念正在被追求。 拟议的研究计划着眼于太赫兹波段，载波频率跨越300 GHz至10 THz，作为上述挑战的解决方案。太赫兹波段位于射频光谱和红外光谱之间，具有显著的优势.与红外光谱一样，它具有足够高的频率，可以实现无执照操作和高数据速率。与无线电频谱一样，它具有足够低的频率以实现相干检测。然而，这种太赫兹无线通信系统具有未解决的挑战，并且这些挑战是所提出的研究计划的目标。 拟议的研究计划利用了申请人在以前资助的NSERC发现补助金上进行的一系列试点研究。这些研究表明了新的太赫兹技术（用于低功耗部署）和新的光学无线技术（用于通过主动下行链路和被动上行链路实施）的可行性。拟议的研究计划将通过以新的太赫兹通信设备和系统的形式集成太赫兹和光学无线技术，将这项工作提升到一个新的水平。通过一系列国际合作伙伴关系，这项工作将实现每秒数千兆位和每秒太比特的链路，从而实现有线网络和无线太赫兹网络之间的无缝集成。太赫兹技术处于无线通信的前沿，其潜力巨大.

Wireless communication systems are an integral part of modern society. On a national scale, the wireless industry contributes $23.5 billion to the gross domestic product, $2.7 billion in investments, and 134,100 jobs. On an international scale, the wireless industry generates nearly 4% of the global gross domestic product, with $3.8 trillion in contributions spanning 236 countries. However, there is a looming challenge for the existing wireless technologies. Contemporary wireless systems have relied upon radio-frequency technology, with carrier frequencies spanning 3 kHz to 300 GHz, but the demand for radio-frequency systems has doubled every 18 months. We are now witnessing capacity limitations due to the limited number of licensed radio-frequency bands. Spectrum scarcity is a serious concern for the industry. Optical wireless systems emerged in response to the above concern. These free-space systems typically apply line-of-sight infrared links, with carrier frequencies spanning 10 THz to 300 THz, to offer ultra-high data rates and wireless mobility. However, the systems have been found to have practical challenges related to incoherent detection, strong ambient light noise, and eye-safety restrictions. It is because of these challenges that new concepts in wireless communications are being pursued. The proposed research program looks toward the terahertz band, with carrier frequencies spanning 300 GHz to 10 THz, as a solution to the above challenges. The terahertz band lies between the radio-frequency spectrum and infrared spectrumand it has notable benefits. Like the infrared spectrum, it has sufficiently high frequencies to enable unlicensed operation and high data rates. Like the radio-frequency spectrum, it has sufficiently low frequencies to enable coherent detection. Such terahertz wireless communication systems have unresolved challenges, however, and it is these challenges that are targeted by the proposed research program. The proposed research program leverages a series of pilot studies that the applicant has conducted over the previously-funded NSERC Discovery Grant. The studies demonstrated the feasibility of new terahertz technologies (for deployment with low power consumption) and new optical wireless technologies (for implementation via active downlinks and passive uplinks). The proposed research program will take this work to the next level by integrating terahertz and optical wireless technologies in the form of new terahertz communication devices and systems. Through a series of international partnerships, the work will materialize as multi-gigabit-per-second and terabit-per-second links that can enable seamless integration between wired networks and wireless terahertz networks. Terahertz technology is at the frontier of wireless communicationsand its potential is significant.