Millimetre-wave and Terahertz On-chip Circuit Test Cluster for 6G Communications and Beyond (TIC6G)

互联网以每秒几百太比特的速度传输数据，消耗了全球发电量的9%，并以每年20%-30%的速度增长。由半导体激光器产生的单个载波可以提供26Tbit/S的数据传输。通过将光载波与太赫兹波相结合，可以在一条无线链路上传输数Tbit/S的数据速率，这将使光/太赫兹混合无线链路成为可能。下一代/第六代(6G)通信网络预计将从2030年开始商业化。6G将产生更大的扩散，并提供技术平台，以更高的数据速率、更宽的带宽和更低的延迟来解决社会、经济和人文问题。迫切性和挑战要求开发革命性的技术，以满足预期的性能水平。这些进展体现在来自世界自然基金会、NetWorld2020、H2020 5G-PPP、6G-Summit、美国国家科学基金会等研究论坛、3GPP、IEEE、ETSI、国际电信联盟-R、国际电信联盟-T等行业组织以及频谱监管论坛(如联邦通信委员会、欧洲电信委员会、电信管理局、联邦通信委员会‘19[https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9020351].At和格拉斯哥大学)最近发布的Beyond-5G路线图中。这些概念需要新颖的半导体器件和电路，一旦在我们的詹姆斯瓦特纳米制造中心(JWNC)制造出来，这些器件和电路必须在开发的早期阶段(即芯片级别)进行表征。为了支持这一研究，本项目旨在建立片上设备和集成电路测试集群，以及独立于载波的超高速数据传输和处理系统，以测量用户和控制平面的关键性能指标。建议的测试集群是世界上第一个允许将复杂信号和波形直接部署到被测芯片上的设备的测试集群。这将触发新的设备概念，并使收发机架构的开发成为可能。这项工作可能会改变行业的游戏规则。该集群由三个关键模块组成：波形产生、信号分析和设备表征。这三个模块可以单独或共同运行，并围绕半自动探针站和光学工作台构建，以实现芯片上探测、准光学耦合和空中特性设置。该波形产生模块可以产生连续波和宽带高速复合波形(&gt；40 GHz)，以满足未来通信对频率高达1.1 THz的要求。信号分析模块可以对信号源进行频谱分析，还可以对频率高达1.1 THz的超宽带、高数据率、复杂的信号进行实时的时域信号分析。器件特性模块允许连续/脉冲电流-电压、网络分析和高达1.1 THz的有源负载拉动测量。我们的目标是在混合传输系统中进行数百千兆每秒的测量(Gbit/S)。为了允许其他外部集团和行业使用这种独特的测量系统进行研究和开发，新测量系统的一个关键方面是可以通过互联网远程控制所有参数，这将使测量系统的使用无需移动测量系统，并允许远程访问实时数据。

The internet transmits data with a rate of hundreds of Terabits per second (Tbit/s), consumes 9% of the worldwide produced electrical energy and is growing at a rate of 20 - 30 % per year. One single carrier produced by a laser diode, can provide the data transmission of 26 Tbit/s. By combining optical carriers with TeraHertz (THz) waves as well, data rates of several Tbit/s can be transmitted over a wireless link, which will enable hybrid optical/THz wireless links. The next/sixth generation (6G) communication network is expected to be commercialised from 2030. 6G will generate greater diffusion and provide technical platforms to solve social, economic and humanity issues with higher data rates, wider bandwidth and lower latency. The urgency and challenges require the development of revolutionary technologies to meet the projected performance levels. These developments are captured in the recent beyond-5G roadmaps from research forums such as WWRF, NetWorld2020, H2020 5G-PPP, 6G-Summit, USA NSF, industry organizations including 3GPP, IEEE, ETSI, ITU-R, ITU-T, and spectrum regulatory forums e.g., FCC, ECC, OFCOM, WRC'19 [https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9020351].At the University of Glasgow (UofG), more than 10 research groups in James Watt School of Engineering are working on enabling technologies in the area of wireless communications, optical networking and a mix of fibre optics, millimetre wave and ultrafast THz wireless links. Such concepts require novel semiconductor devices and circuits that must be characterised at an early stage of development, i.e. at chip level, once they are manufactured at our James Watt Nanofabrication Centre (JWNC). To support this research, this project aims to establish an on-chip device and integrated circuit test cluster together with a carrier independent, ultra-high data transmission rate and processing system to measure key performance indicators in both the user and control planes. The proposed Test Cluster is the first of this kind in the world that allows complex signal and waveforms directly deployed to devices under test on chip. This will trigger new device concepts as well as enable development of transceiver architectures. This work will potentially create industry game changers.The Cluster consists of three key modules: waveform generation, signal analysis, and device characterisation. The three modules can operate individually or collectively and are built around a semi-automated probe station and an optical bench to allow on-chip probing, quasi-optics coupling and over-the-air characterisation setups. The waveform generation module can generate CW and wideband high-speed complex waveforms (>40 GHz) to meet the requirements of future communications for frequencies up to 1.1 THz. The signal analysis module can perform spectrum analysis of signal sources as well as real-time signal analysis on ultra-wideband, high data rate, complex signals in time domain for frequencies up to 1.1 THz. The device characterisation module permits continuous/pulsed current-voltage, network analysis and active load-pull measurements up to 1.1 THz. We are targeting measurements in hybrid transmission systems of several hundred Gigabits per second (Gbit/s). To allow other external groups and industry to use this unique measurement system for their research and development, a key aspect of the new measurement system is the possibility for remote control of all parameters via the Internet, which will enable use of the measurement system without the need to move the measurement system around and allow remote access to real-time data.