Array Signal Processing Techniques for Terahertz Communications and Sensing

用于太赫兹通信和传感的阵列信号处理技术

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-03678
• 负责人: Champagne, Benoit
• 金额: $ 3.35万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=752056
• 关键词: Array; Signal; Processing; Techniques; Terahertz

The demand for wireless throughput and connectivity continues to grow at unprecedented rates, boosted by the popularity of existing applications and the emergence of new ones, such as augmented reality, autonomous vehicles, holographic gaming, or data showers. While the use of mm-wave frequencies in 5G networks will help overcome current spectrum shortage, these newer applications call for further enhancements in data rate, device connectivity, and latency. Aware of these limitations, researchers are now turning their attention to terahertz (THz) communications, within the range from 0.1 to 10THz, as an enabling technology for future 6G networks. Due to the availability of wide swaths of spectrum, THz communications can innately achieve data rates well in excess of 100 Gbps. The short wavelengths of THz signals offer several advantages, especially the possibility to pack several hundreds antenna elements over a small footprint area. In turn, this allows to form transmit/receive beams with very high directivity, and exploit ultra-massive multiple-input multiple-output (UM-MIMO) techniques to significantly improve network capacity. Achieving the full potential of THz communications will ultimately depend on the availability of advanced signal processing techniques that exploit the underlying physical mechanisms of THz propagation and transceiver devices. The long-term goal of the proposed research is the development, performance evaluation and application of new signal processing techniques for THz communications and sensing, with focus on the use of very large-scale antenna arrays for UM-MIMO transmissions over short to medium range links. The short-term objectives are articulated around three avenues: (1) To develop new algorithms and training protocols for estimation of UM-MIMO channel parameters at THz frequencies, including angles of arrival and time differences of arrival, and endow these algorithms with tracking capabilities for applications under mobility conditions; (2) To conceive new design methods for hybrid analog-digital (HAD) UM-MIMO THz transceivers that maximize data rate while ensuring robustness against channel and hardware impairments, and to investigate the use of intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) in combination with HAD transceivers to overcome blockage; (3) To develop new cooperative algorithms for indoor localization and tracking of THz transmitters by exploiting line-of-sight (LoS) measurements from multiple access points, and extend these algorithms to non-LoS (NLoS) scenarios by taking advantage of the diversity provided by multiple IRSs. This program of research will provide key opportunities for HQP training at the MEng and PhD levels, while the main findings will be presented at international conferences and published in highly selective journals.

对无线吞吐量和连接的需求继续以前所未有的速度增长，这得益于现有应用的普及和新应用的出现，如增强现实、自动驾驶汽车、全息游戏或数据淋浴。虽然在5G网络中使用毫米波频率将有助于克服当前的频谱短缺，但这些新的应用需要进一步提高数据速率、设备连接性和延迟。意识到这些局限性，研究人员现在将注意力转向太赫兹（THz）通信，在0.1到10 THz的范围内，作为未来6 G网络的一项使能技术。由于宽频谱的可用性，太赫兹通信可以天生实现超过100 Gbps的数据速率。THz信号的短波长提供了几个优点，特别是可以在小的占地面积上封装数百个天线元件。反过来，这允许形成具有非常高方向性的发射/接收波束，并利用超大规模多输入多输出（UM-MIMO）技术来显著提高网络容量。实现THz通信的全部潜力将最终取决于利用THz传播和收发器设备的底层物理机制的先进信号处理技术的可用性。拟议研究的长期目标是开发、性能评估和应用THz通信和传感的新信号处理技术，重点是在中短程链路上使用超大规模天线阵列进行UM-MIMO传输。近期目标主要围绕三个方面展开：（1）开发新的算法和训练协议，用于THz频率下UM-MIMO信道参数的估计，包括到达角和到达时间差，并赋予这些算法在移动条件下的跟踪能力;（2）为混合模拟-数字（HAD）UM-MIMO THz收发器构思新的设计方法，该设计方法最大化数据速率，同时确保对信道和硬件损害的鲁棒性，并研究使用智能反射面配合民政事务总署收发器，以克服阻塞;（3）通过利用来自多个接入点的视线（LoS）测量，开发用于THz发射机的室内定位和跟踪的新的协作算法，并通过利用多个IRS提供的分集将这些算法扩展到非LoS（NLoS）场景。该研究计划将为MEng和PhD水平的HQP培训提供关键机会，而主要研究结果将在国际会议上发表并在高度选择性的期刊上发表。