NSF-AoF: CISE Core: Small: Enabling Mobile Terahertz Communication for 6G Cellular Networks

随着第五代（5G）无线蜂窝网络的商业部署，无线研究社区已经开始定义将成为下一代移动网络一部分的技术。设备技术的最新发展使亚太赫兹和太赫兹频段（广义上讲，电磁频谱的100 GHz和3太赫兹之间的频率）成为第六代（6G）网络中每秒太比特通信（即比当前5G网络高两个数量级）的推动者，从而允许开发新的变革性用例，如虚拟世界中的全息远程呈现。到目前为止，大多数研究都集中在了解太赫兹器件的能力，太赫兹波传播的特性以及如何围绕它们进行设计。然而，在真正的移动和复杂的蜂窝网络中集成太赫兹频谱需要正确设计完整的通信堆栈。研究、构思和测试将在太赫兹频段启用6G移动网络的解决方案是这项工作的目标。该项目有助于太赫兹通信的科学发展以及该领域的早期标准化工作，同时培训来自高中、本科和研究生等不同背景的学生。这项工作的目标是创建新颖的解决方案，通过提高物理层和链路层的可靠性和效率，以及在系统级引入服务连续性和间歇性连接管理机制，在6G移动太赫兹网络中提供一致的超高数据速率。为了实现这一雄心勃勃的目标，该项目被组织成三个相互交织的重点。推力1开发了渠道建模方法，构成了项目其余部分建模和评估活动的基础。Thrust 2为移动太赫兹物理层和链路层设计协议和算法。最后，Thrust 3构建了系统级解决方案来支持应用程序需求，采用多管齐下的方法，旨在通过间歇性连接提高会话连续性和应用程序性能。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Following the commercial deployment of the fifth generation (5G) of wireless cellular networks, the wireless research community has started defining the technologies that will be part of the next generation of mobile networks. Recent evolution in device technologies has brought the sub-terahertz and terahertz bands (broadly speaking the frequencies between 100 GHz and 3 THz of the electromagnetic spectrum) into the spotlight as an enabler for terabit-per-second communications (i.e., two orders of magnitude higher than current 5G networks) in the sixth generation (6G) networks, allowing for the development of new transformative use cases such as holographic telepresence in the metaverse. Most of the research so far has focused on understanding the capabilities of THz devices, the peculiarities of THz wave propagation, and how to engineer around them. However, integrating the THz spectrum in truly mobile and complex cellular networks requires a proper design of the full communication stack. To investigate, conceive and test the solutions that will enable 6G mobile networks in the terahertz band is the goal of this effort. The project contributes to the scientific development of THz communications as well as to the early standardization efforts of the same, all while training students from diverse backgrounds at the high school, undergraduate and graduate levels.The goal of this effort is to create novel solutions to provide consistent, ultra-high data rates in 6G mobile terahertz networks by improving the reliability and efficiency of the physical and link layers, and by introducing mechanisms for service continuity and management of intermittent connectivity at the system level. To accomplish this ambitious goal, the project has been organized in three intertwined thrusts. Thrust 1 develops channel modeling methodologies that constitute the foundation of the modeling and evaluation activities of the rest of the project. Thrust 2 designs protocols and algorithms for the mobile THz physical and link layers. Finally, Thrust 3 builds system-level solutions to support application requirements, with a multi-pronged approach that aims at improving the session continuity and application performance with intermittent connectivity.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.