Solid state electronics and photonic integration for THz communications

无线网络上的数据流量保持指数增长率。COVID大流行几乎肯定会加速这一增长，并肯定会对商业和私人交易的数字化产生持久影响。随着第六代蜂窝系统（6 G）的发展，欧洲开始采取战略行动，推动基于欧洲的下一代核心无线网络技术。利用申请人在该领域建立的持续强有力的行动，我们提出了一个突破性的步骤，将领先的法国和德国技术结合在THz通信的系统导向方法中。SOLITONIC项目的目标是300 GHz的THz发射机，最高可达200 Gbit/s。利用光子和电子器件的最佳特性，我们提出了两种THz技术的组合，具有最高的数据速率（光子学）和最高的输出线性功率（电子学）。这种方法将提高THz发射机的可利用动态范围，这是当今THz系统的主要性能瓶颈，并在THz系统级测试和THz链路演示中实现超越最先进水平。主要目标是基于InGaAs HEMT技术的多通道单行进载波（UTC）光电二极管和宽带功率放大器MMIC的最佳匹配定制设计，以实现新型300 GHz发射机。它包括以下方面的共同集成：a）为法国合作伙伴（CNRS，里尔）设计多通道THz UTC光电二极管，用于通过多条激光线的光子混频进行300 GHz下变频，并针对250-350 GHz操作进行优化。B）为德国合作伙伴（斯图加特大学）设计InGaAs HEMT有源放大器，可实现千米范围传输所需的宽带线性输出功率。为了释放电子-光子组合的全部潜力，所有组件都将进行定制设计，以实现最佳增益和线性度划分以及级间阻抗匹配。在两个核心芯片的共同集成之后，我们将利用光学预失真技术来优化组合UTC+放大器输出的性能和信号完整性，并建立在两个合作伙伴现有技术中开发的独特光子THz测量技术的基础上。

Data traffic over wireless networks keeps following an exponential growth rate. The COVID pandemic will almost certainly have accelerated this growth and surely have a lasting effect on the digitization of business and private exchange. With the road open towards early 6th generation of cellular systems (6G), expected for 2030, Europe initiated strategic actions to push forward European-based technologies for the next generation core wireless networks. Leveraging on on-going strong action established in this field by the applicants, we propose a disruptive step in combining leading French and German technologies in a system-oriented approach for THz communication. The SOLITONIC project targets a THz transmitter at 300 GHz with up to 200 Gbit/s. Using the best features of photonic and electronic devices, we propose a combination of two THz technologies, featuring highest data-rates (photonics) and highest output linear powers (electronics). This approach will enhance the exploitable dynamic range of the THz transmitter, which is today’s major performance bottleneck in THz systems, and enable beyond state-of-the art in both THz system-level testing as well as THz link demonstrations. The main objective is the optimally-matched custom design of multi-channel uni-travelling carrier (UTC) photodiodes and wideband power amplifier MMICs based on InGaAs HEMT technology to achieve a new class of 300 GHz transmitter. It includes a co-integration of:a) For the French partner (CNRS, Lille) the design of multi-channel THz UTC photodiodes for 300 GHz down-conversion through photonic mixing of multiple laser lines, optimized for 250-350 GHz operation.b) For the German partner (University of Stuttgart), the design of InGaAs HEMT active amplifiers will enable to reach the required wideband linear output powers for km-range transmissions.In order to unlock the full potential of the electronic-photonic combination, all components will be custom-designed for optimum gain and linearity partitioning as well as interstage impedance matching. After co-integration of the two core chips, we will make use of optical pre-distortion techniques to optimize the performance and signal integrity at the combined UTC+amplifier output, building on unique photonic THz measurement techniques developed in the prior art of the two partners.