EARS: A New Class of Millimeter-wave Phased Arrays for Secure High Data Rate Systems with Low Power Back-Ends

该项目将研究创新方法，开发方法和制造技术，以实现毫米波频谱的实际访问。这对于处理未来的蜂窝数据流量非常重要，预计将以每年40-70%的速度增长。由于现有的蜂窝频段已经很拥挤，因此有必要探索其他频段，特别是毫米波频率。在手持设备上使用毫米波收发器的关键问题是功率和带宽处理。考虑到这一点，本研究的目标是探索低功耗和低硬件的收发器，以实现多输入多输出（MIMO）通信的多个并发高增益波束，并同时克服蜂窝连接的传播损耗。实现这些目标预计将对无线通信的各个方面产生变革性影响。同时，毫米波频率的大可用带宽将使安全的无线通信系统能够进行大数据速率传输。这项研究也符合国家宽带计划，旨在为每个美国人提供负担得起的强大宽带服务。此外，这个项目将训练学生掌握新兴的无线技术。具体而言，计划开展各种外展活动，以吸引工程专业的本科生和代表性不足的学生，包括通过夏令营和无线连接项目的高中生，这些项目涉及1)医疗传感器，2)短距离通信应用和3)利用环境射频信号收集能量。社会影响的例子包括实现可靠的高带宽手持设备和用于大数据速率传输的安全无线通信系统。提出了几项创新，以便实际利用毫米波频谱尚未利用的容量。其中包括：1)采用均衡馈电的新型超宽带阵列。2)混合频率和码分复用，用于安全的高数据速率通信，覆盖前所未有的10GHz带宽。3)波束形成架构，将所有天线阵列信号组合成一个单一的模数(ADC)/数模（DAC）转换器，而不会丢失信号路径标识。这是通过引入一种新的现场码分复用技术来实现的。值得注意的是，将adc和dac减少10倍或更多意味着按比例减少功率使用和后端电路。4)相控阵与互补金属氧化物半导体（CMOS）和/或III-V收发器以及相关数字波束形成处理器的混合集成。天线阵列将在低温共烧陶瓷（LTCC）衬底上制造，并垂直集成以确保尽可能高的增益和紧凑性。5)对上述集成毫米波系统进行室内/室外测量，以表征视距（LOS）与非视距链路、距离、到达角分布、路径损失/阴影和延迟传播的影响。这种户外测量还没有在毫米波下使用波束形成阵列进行。

This project will research innovative approaches to develop methods and fabrication techniques to enable practical access to the millimeter wave spectrum. This is important for handling future cellular data traffic, expected to grow at a rate of 40-70% annually. As existing cellular bands are already crowded, it is necessary to explore other bands, and more specifically millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies. Critical issues for practical millimeter wave transceivers on handhelds are power and bandwidth handling. With this in mind, the goal of this research is to explore power-reduced and hardware-reduced transceivers to realize several concurrent high gain beams for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications and to concurrently overcome propagation losses for cellular connectivity. Achieving these goals is expected to have transformative impact on all aspects of wireless communications. Concurrently, the large available bandwidth at millimeter wave frequencies will enable secure wireless communications systems for large data rate transfers. This research is also in line with the National Broadband Plan aimed at providing every American with affordable access to robust broadband services. Moreover, this project will train students in emerging wireless technologies. Specifically, a variety of outreach activities are planned to attract undergraduates and underrepresented students in engineering, including high school students through summer camps and wireless connectivity projects relating to 1) medical sensors, 2) short distance communication applications and 3) energy harvesting using ambient RF signals. Examples of societal impact include the realization of reliable high bandwidth handhelds and secure wireless communications systems for large data rate transfers.Several innovations are proposed to enable practical use of the yet unharnessed capacity of the mm-wave spectrum. Among them are: 1) Novel ultra-wideband arrays that incorporate balanced feeds. 2) Hybrid frequency and code division multiplexing for secure high data rate communications to cover an unprecedented 10GHz bandwidth. 3) A beamformer architecture that combines all antenna array signals into a single analog-to-digital (ADC)/digital-to-analog (DAC) converter without loss of signal path identity. This is done by introducing a novel on-site code division multiplexing technique. It is noted that reduction of ADCs and DACs by a factor of 10 or more implies proportional reduction in power usage and back-end circuitry. 4) Hybrid integration of the phased array with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) and/or III-V transceiver and associated digital beamforming processor. Antenna arrays will be fabricated on low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrates and be vertically integrated to ensure the highest possible gain and compactness. 5) Indoor/Outdoor measurements of the aforementioned integrated mm-wave system to characterize the impact of line-of-sight (LOS) versus non-LOS links, range, angle of arrival distributions, pathloss/shadowing, and delay spreads. Such outdoor measurements have yet to be performed at mm-waves using beamforming arrays.