Integrated Fiber-Wireless Transmission Technologies for 5G+/6G

随着5G移动接入网的发展，5G是通信、大数据、物联网和人工智能（AI）的初始网络，5G+/6G被提出，以增强5G的功能，即5G+/6G是一个低延迟、高速连接世界上任何东西的全球网络。为了实现5G+/6G网络，使用光纤将集中式基带单元（BBU）与众多远程无线电头（RRH）连接起来的前传通信系统是接入网的关键挑战部分，因为目前的数字光纤通信系统具有高复杂性和高功耗，无法直接使用。未来的前传通信系统必须具有结构简单、低复杂度、低功耗、低时延、支持Tb/s传输等特点。这项为期5年的探索计划是对上述战略和全球愿景的回应，旨在探索和创造5G+/6G无线的未来光子学定义无线电。申请人及其课题组将开展基础和创新研究，与相关设备和电路一起实现具有成本效益的5G+/6G前传技术，这将是5G+/6G接入网的关键技术。这项为期5年的探索计划的主要研究目标是提出、研究和探索用于5G+/6G无线接入的高度原创技术。具体而言，本研究涉及以下概念、建模、设计和演示：(1)5G+/6G光子和毫米波/太赫兹集成电路/收发器的使能技术；(2)新的高性价比前传传输技术。(1)包括相干光频梳发生器使用的InP量子点激光建模，以及相干光频梳发生器使用的光子无线收发器设计。在(2)中，将研究具有成本效益的Tb/s前传技术，如光纤无线电、线性化和空分复用等。从长远来看，光子学定义的无线电将导致许多颠覆性的ICT技术。这个为期5年的探索计划将维持加拿大信息通信技术的领导地位，促进加拿大的经济和人类生活。

With the development of 5G mobile access networks, which is an initial network for communications, big data, internet of things and artificial intelligence (AI), 5G+/6G is being proposed for enhancing the functionalities of 5G, i.e. 5G+/6G is a global network for connecting anything in the world with low latency and high speed. To realize 5G+/6G networks, fronthaul communication systems, which are used to connect centralized baseband units (BBU) with numerous remote radio heads (RRH) using optical fiber, are the key challenging part of access networks because the current digital optical fiber communication systems, which have high complexity, and high power-consumption, cannot be straightforwardly used. The future fronthaul communication systems must have the features: simple structure, low complexity, low power consumption, low latency, and supporting Tb/s transmission. This 5-year Discovery program is responding to the above strategic and global vision to explore and create future photonics defined radio for 5G+/6G wireless. The applicant with his research group is poised to conduct fundamental and innovative researches to achieve cost-effective 5G+/6G fronthaul transmission technologies with related devices and circuits, which will be the key technologies of 5G+/6G access networks. The main research goal for this 5-year Discovery is to propose, study, and explore highly original technologies that are used for 5G+/6G wireless access. Specifically, this research is concerned with the following concepts, modeling, design and demonstrations: (1) Enabling technologies for 5G+/6G photonic and mm-wave/THz integrated circuits/transceivers; and (2) new cost-effective fronthaul transmission technologies. In (1), InP quantum dot laser modeling that is used for coherent optical frequency comb generators, and photonic-wireless transceiver design using coherent optical frequency comb generator are included. In (2), cost-effective Tb/s fronthaul transmission technologies, such as radio over fiber, linearization, and spatial division multiplexing etc. will be studied. In a long term, photonics defined radio will lead to many disruptive ICT technologies. This 5-year Discovery program will sustain Canadian ICT leadership and promote Canadian economy and human life.