II-New: TeraNova: An Integrated Testbed for True Terahertz Communications

近年来，由于当今社会创建、共享和使用信息的方式发生了变化，无线数据流量激增。伴随这一变化的是对更快、更普遍存在的无线通信网络的日益增长的需求。因此，无线每秒太比特（Tbps）链路预计将在未来五到十年内成为必需品。太赫兹（THz）波段（0.1至10 THz）通信被设想为满足这一需求的关键技术。多年来，缺乏紧凑和有效的方法来产生和检测太赫兹波段信号限制了这种通信系统的可行性。THz产生和检测方案的持续进展使源和检测器更容易获得，但目前还没有平台可以实验性地演示真正THz频率下的无线通信。这个TeraNova项目的目标是开发第一个专门用于真正太赫兹频率下超宽带通信网络的集成测试平台（即，1 THz及以上）。试验台的主要组成部分如下。在传输中，基于肖特基二极管的倍频器和放大器用于在高于1THz的第一吸收定义的传输窗口中生成THz载波信号，即，在1到1.075 THz之间。基于相同技术的分谐波混频器用于将THz载波信号与借助于宽带任意波形发生器产生的待发射宽带信号调制。该波形发生器具有两个并行通道，每个通道的模拟带宽为32千兆赫（GHz），具有8位分辨率的高采样率。可以定义每个波形，从而允许对基带信号进行精确控制。在接收中，相同的设置用于下变频调制的THz信号并恢复传输的符号。在解调和信号处理之前，通过高性能数字示波器显示和存储下变频信号，该示波器对于一个通道具有高达63 GHz的模拟带宽，或者对于两个通道具有每通道33 GHz的模拟带宽。所描述的TeraNova测试平台提供了新的CISE相关研究机会，包括开发和验证（i）精确的THz信道模型，（ii）超宽带调制和解调技术，以及（iii）超大规模MIMO通信方案等。此外，TeraNova测试平台还作为一个独特的平台，用于测试和基准测试用于通信的新型等离子体太赫兹器件。

Wireless data traffic has surged in recent years due to a change in the way society today creates, shares, and consumes information. Accompanying this change is an increasing demand for faster, more ubiquitous wireless communication networks. As a result, wireless Terabit-per-second (Tbps) links are expected to become a necessity within the next five to ten years. Terahertz (THz)-band (0.1 to 10 THz) communication is envisioned as a key technology to meet this demand. For many years, the lack of compact and efficient ways to generate and detect THz-band signals limited the feasibility of such communication systems. Ongoing advances in THz generation and detection schemes are making sources and detectors more readily available, but no platform currently exists to experimentally demonstrate wireless communication at true THz frequencies. The objective of this TeraNova project is to develop the first integrated testbed specific to ultra-broadband communication networks at true terahertz frequencies (i.e., 1 THz and above).The main components of the testbed are as follows. In transmission, a Schottky-diode-based frequency multiplier and amplifier is used to generate a THz carrier signal in the first absorption-defined transmission window above 1 THz, i.e., between 1 and 1.075 THz. A sub-harmonic mixer based on the same technology is used to modulate the THz carrier signal with the broadband signal to be transmitted, which is generated by means of a broadband arbitrary-waveform generator. The waveform generator has two parallel channels with an analog bandwidth of 32 Gigahertz (GHz) per channel and high sampling rate with 8-bit resolution. Each waveform can be defined allowing precise control of baseband signals. In reception, the same setup is used to down-convert the modulated THz signal and recover the transmitted symbols. The downconverted signal is displayed and stored, prior to demodulation and signal processing, by means of a high performance digital oscilloscope, which has up to 63 GHz of analog bandwidth for one channel or 33 GHz per channel with two channels. The described TeraNova testbed enables new CISE-related research opportunities, including development and validation of (i) accurate THz channel models, (ii) ultra-broadband modulation and demodulation techniques, and (iii) ultra-massive MIMO communication schemes, among others. In addition, the TeraNova testbed serves as a unique platform to test and benchmark novel plasmonic THz devices for communications.