A New Paradigm for Broadband Radio-Frequency Signal Processing

无线世界最有希望的最新发展之一是走向宽带射频(RF)技术，包括超宽带(UWB)微波方法和60 GHz毫米波技术。宽带射频系统的瞬时频谱具有几个GHz的特点，迅速超过了目前可用的射频信号处理技术的能力。拟议的三年项目将监督为各种基本宽带射频信号生成、检测和处理操作开发一套全面的工具包。这项理论和实验研究将使来自INRS-EMT、麦吉尔大学和渥太华大学的三个大学团队与他们的工业合作伙伴阿波罗微波和O/E Land密切合作，领导加拿大和世界各地的努力，为新兴的宽带射频市场开发具有成本效益的高性能解决方案。我们提出的宽带射频信号处理方法是基于一种新颖、高效和实用的非相干光方法，该方法将使用广泛可用的光子(光纤和/或集成波导)技术来实现。与以前不切实际的相干光子解决方案不同，我们新提出的非相干光方法可能会产生成本效益高、可批量生产的光纤或易于商业化的芯片上结构。计划中的工作将为我们的新技术在许多关键的宽带射频子系统中的使用奠定基础，包括高数据速率模数转换器、高频任意波形发生器、高分辨率雷达和成像系统、实时频谱分析、相关/卷积和决策电路。这将对下一代无线通信、雷达、传感网络和生物医学成像等各种应用产生巨大影响。总体而言，该项目产生的新知识以及与这项工作的不同阶段相关的高素质人员的培训将有助于提高加拿大的全球竞争力，特别是在信息和通信技术部门。

One of the most promising recent developments in the wireless world is the move towards broadband radio-frequency (RF) technologies, including ultra-wideband (UWB) microwave methods and 60-GHz millimeter-wave techniques. The instantaneous spectrum of broadband RF systems characteristically spans several GHz, quickly over-running the capabilities of presently available RF signal-processing technologies. The proposed three-year project oversees the development of a comprehensive toolset for a wide range of fundamental broadband RF signal generation, detection and processing operations. This theoretical and experimental research will allow the three university teams from INRS-EMT, McGill University, and University of Ottawa, working closely with their industrial partners Apollo Microwaves and O/E Land, to lead Canada and worldwide efforts in developing cost-effective, high-performance solutions for the emerging broadband RF market. Our proposed approach for broadband RF signal processing is based on an original, efficient and practical incoherent-light approach, which will be implemented using widely available photonic (fiber-optics and/or integrated-waveguide) technologies. As opposed to previous impractical coherent photonic solutions, our newly proposed incoherent-light approach can potentially yield cost-efficient, mass-producible fiber-optics or on-chip structures amenable to commercialization. The planned work will set the basis for the use of our new technology in many critical broadband RF sub-systems, including high-data-rate analog-to-digital converters, high-frequency arbitrary waveform generators, high-resolution radar and imaging systems, real-time spectral analysis, correlation/convolution and decision-making circuits. This will have a dramatic impact in such diverse applications as next-generation wireless telecom, radar, sensing networks and biomedical imaging. Overall, the new knowledge generated from this project and the training of highly qualified personnel associated to the different stages of this work will contribute to enhance Canada's global competitiveness, especially in information and communication technology sectors.