Advanced Millimetre-Wave Components for Beyond-5G Applications

传统上，毫米波组件形成了一个利基市场，服务于射电天文学、航空航天、卫星和军事工业。随着5G的出现，这种情况发生了巨大变化，5G的工作频率在28 GHz到80 GHz之间。虽然精确的全球频谱分配仍不清楚，但美国正朝着28ghz、37ghz和39ghz的载波发展。因此，专家们预测，毫米波技术市场将在未来5年内增长10倍以上，发展成为数十亿美元的产业。下一代5G毫米波技术的实施将需要数千个低功耗基站，这些基站需要大规模MIMO天线、波束成形和全双工。因此，利用传统的毫米波波导元件是空间和成本过高的，因此必须部署更便宜的、可批量生产的系统。虽然已经开发出用于28- 30ghz的有源、可重构、非平面天线阵列和前端模块，但高达60ghz及以上的平面组件和系统仍处于起步阶段。衬底集成波导（SIW）技术是一种适合未来毫米波5G组件的平面多层电路。它保留了金属波导结构的优点，但可批量生产，并已应用到200ghz。因此，本提案侧重于毫米波SIW 5g及以上组件的开发，重点放在三个方面：1)波束形成；2)可重构频率选择曲面；3)有源元件/芯片集成。这些目标涵盖了未来和5g以后毫米波应用的关键领域。它们包括：a)多输入/多输出SIW系统，其波束方向、形状和空值不仅可以根据预定义的规格进行调整，而且还具有滤波能力；b)可重构的频率选择表面，用于频率和极化灵活操作，将与SIW技术相结合；c)在GaAs， GaN和CMOS技术中集成SIW技术与有源器件芯片（如放大器和混频器）。这项研究不仅将帮助加拿大工业界在未来5G无线毫米波技术中占据竞争优势，而且还将提供绝对需要的技术和科学人才来保持和提高这一优势。加拿大将通过传感和监测、加强安全和监视、更快的高数据速率通信和云计算受益于新的医疗设备。提议的项目具有挑战性，但申请人和他的团队在为具有挑战性的主题提出可行的技术解决方案方面有良好的记录。这项研究将在5年内资助6名博士生。在我的指导下，所有的研究生和本科生都在测量设备和最先进的建模软件方面获得了经验，并立即找到了工作。

Traditionally, millimetre-wave (mm-wave) components formed a niche market serving radio astronomy, aerospace, satellite and military industries. This changed dramatically with the emergence of 5G, proposed to operate at frequencies between 28 GHz and 80 GHz. While precise global spectrum allocations remain unclear, the US is moving towards 28, 37 and 39 GHz carriers. Therefore, experts predict that the mm-wave technology market will grow more than ten times over the next five years, developing into a multi-billion-dollar industry. The implementation of next-generation 5G mm-wave technology will require thousands of low-power base stations with requirements for massive MIMO antennas, beamforming and full duplex. Therefore, the utilization of traditional mm-wave waveguide components is space- and cost-prohibitive, thus cheaper, mass-producible systems must be deployed. While active, reconfigurable, but non-planar antenna arrays and front-end modules have been developed for 28-30 GHz, planar components and systems up to 60 GHz and above are still in their infancy. Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) technology is a planar multi-layer circuitry that fits the profile for future mm-wave 5G components. It retains the advantages of metal waveguide structures, but is mass-producible and has been applied up to 200 GHz. Therefore, this proposal focuses on the development of mm-wave SIW 5G-and-beyond components where emphasis is especially placed on three aspects: 1) Beamforming; 2) Reconfigurable Frequency-Selective Surfaces; and 3) Active Components/Chip Integration. These objectives cover key areas for future and beyond-5G mm-wave applications. They include: a) Multiple input/multiple output SIW systems whose beam direction, shape and null cannot only be adjusted to predefined specifications but also incorporate filtering capability; b) Reconfigurable frequency-selective surfaces for frequency- and polarization-agile operation that will be combined with SIW technology; c) Integration of SIW technology with active device chips (such as amplifiers and mixers) in GaAs, GaN and CMOS technology. This research will not only assist the Canadian industry to seize competitive ad¬vantage in future 5G wireless millimeter-wave technology, but will also provide the technical and scientific personnel who are absolutely required to hold and improve this advantage. Canada will benefit from new medical devices through sensing and monitoring, increased security and surveillance, faster high-data-rate communications and cloud computing. The proposed projects are challenging, but the applicant and his team have a proven track record of presenting viable technical solutions for challenging topics. Over five years, this research will support six PhD students. All my graduate and undergraduate students have found immediate employment due to their experience with measurement equipment and state-of-the art modeling software which they were trained in during my supervision.