Advanced Millimetre-Wave Components for Beyond-5G Applications

传统上，毫米波（mm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，这一情况发生了巨大变化，5G的工作频率在28 GHz到80 GHz之间。虽然全球频谱的精确分配仍不清楚，但美国正在向28、37和39 GHz载波发展。因此，专家预测，毫米波技术市场将在未来五年内增长十倍以上，发展成为一个数十亿美元的产业。 下一代5G毫米波技术的实施将需要数千个低功率基站，这些基站需要大规模MIMO天线、波束成形和全双工。因此，传统的毫米波波导组件的利用是空间和成本限制的，因此必须部署更便宜的、可批量生产的系统。虽然有源、可重构、但非平面的天线阵列和前端模块已被开发用于28-30 GHz，但高达60 GHz及以上的平面组件和系统仍处于起步阶段。基片集成波导（SIW）技术是一种平面多层电路，适合未来毫米波5G组件的轮廓。它保留了金属波导结构的优点，但可批量生产，并已应用到200 GHz。因此，该提案侧重于毫米波SIW 5G及以上组件的开发，重点放在三个方面：1）波束成形; 2）可重构频率选择表面; 3）有源组件/芯片集成。这些目标涵盖了未来和超越5G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、形状和零点不仅可以调整到预定义的规格，而且还包含滤波能力; B）用于频率和偏振捷变操作的可重构频率选择表面，其将与SIW技术相结合; c）SIW技术与GaAs、GaN和CMOS技术中的有源器件芯片（例如放大器和混频器）的集成。这项研究不仅将帮助加拿大产业在未来的5G无线毫米波技术中占据竞争Vantage，而且还将提供绝对需要的技术和科学人员来保持和提高这一优势。加拿大将受益于新的医疗设备，通过传感和监测，增加安全和监控，更快的高数据速率通信和云计算。拟议的项目具有挑战性，但申请人及其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着良好的记录。在五年的时间里，这项研究将支持六名博士生。我所有的研究生和本科生都找到了直接就业，因为他们在测量设备和最先进的建模软件方面的经验，他们在我的监督期间接受了培训。

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.