Terahertz frequency devices and systems for ultrahigh capacity wireless communications

高数据吞吐量无线通信系统对我们的生活、生计和国家安全至关重要，最近远程工作的增加特别强调了高性能和弹性数据通信系统的重要性。随着移动用户越来越多地使用在线服务，数据流量正在呈指数级增长，其中增长最快的部分是无线通道。使用最先进的无线电频率和微波系统是不可持续的，而且当前无线电频率和微波无线通信可以增长到的可分配电磁频谱的短缺进一步加剧了这一点。尽管毫米波频率(60-95 GHz)的商业产品最近的发展提供了一个潜在的解决方案，但它们仍然受到每个频段7 GHz的可用带宽的限制，不能满足日益增长的需求。在这项计划中，我们将开发第一个集成的高吞吐量无线通信系统，运行在太赫兹载波频率，在2-5太赫兹之间。相对于微波频率载波，使用太赫兹载波的优点是可以支持更大的可用带宽，因此可以支持更高的数据速率。我们将展示数据速率比最先进的射频和微波系统提高两个数量级，超过100Gbit/S和接近1Tbit/s。我们将通过同时开发新的和专门的太赫兹频率源、探测器、调制器和信号控制技术来实现这些雄心勃勃的目标，其规格不仅在整体系统需求的背景下定义和评估，而且在整个计划中根据每个组件获得的性能和技术规格进行单独改进。这一计划是及时和重要的，将使英国处于新的、安全和可靠的无线通信基础设施和网络的国际前沿。我们的计划将支持英国对先进通信系统国家能力的要求，并保护英国在不断变化的国际格局中免受海外技术和出口管制的影响。它将支持英国主要的空间通信行业，以及创建具有弹性的全球互联网，实现卫星到卫星的互联互通，并通过促进身临其境的虚拟工作，为英国2050年的净零目标做出贡献。最后，我们将在一个全面、协作和充满活力的跨学科环境中，吸引、培训和激励一批未来的英国学术和工业领袖和创新者，促进外联和倡导，并在国家短缺的领域建设能力。

High data throughput wireless communication systems are central to our lives, livelihoods, and national security, with recent increases in remote working particularly emphasising the importance of high performance and resilient data communication systems. Data traffic is increasing exponentially, with the fastest-growing part of this increase being on wireless channels, as mobile users increasingly make use of online services. This is unsustainable using state-of-the-art radio frequency and microwave systems, and further compounded by the shortage of allocable electromagnetic spectrum into which current radio frequency and microwave wireless communications can grow. Although recent development of commercial products at millimetre wave frequencies (60-95 GHz) offer a potential solution, they still remain limited by an available bandwidth of <7 GHz per band, and are not viable to meet the increasing demand. In this programme, we will develop the first integrated high throughput wireless communication systems operating at terahertz carrier frequencies, between 2-5 THz. The advantage of using a terahertz carrier relative to microwave frequency carriers is the much greater available bandwidth, and hence higher data rate, that can be supported. We will demonstrate a two orders-of-magnitude increase in data rates over state-of-the-art radio frequency and microwave systems, beyond 100 Gbit/s and towards 1 Tbit/s.We will achieve these ambitious goals through the concurrent development of new and specialized terahertz frequency sources, detectors, modulators, and signal control techniques, with specifications not only defined and evaluated in the context of the overall system requirements, but also individually refined throughout the programme in response to the performance and technical specification obtained for each component. This programme is timely and important, and will position the UK at the international forefront of new, secure and reliable wireless communications infrastructures and networks. Our programme will support the UK requirement for national capability in advanced communication systems, and safeguard the UK against vulnerability to overseas technology and export controls in a changing international landscape. It will support the UK's major space communications industry, and the creation of a resilient global internet, with satellite-to-satellite interconnectivity, and contribute to the UK's 2050 net-zero targets by facilitating immersive virtual working. Finally, we will attract, train and inspire a diverse cohort of future UK academic and industrial leaders and innovators in a holistic, collaborative, and vibrant cross-disciplinary environment, promoting outreach and advocacy, and build capability in an area of national shortage.