Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics in cooperation with the Leibniz institutes IHP and FBH
Bandwidth requirements will continue to increase in future communication networks, driven by new applications such as Industry 4.0, autonomous driving, AI-based cloud/edge computing, eHealth, smart cities, and virtual and augmented reality. Wireless terahertz technology is an essential component of future communication networks, as it uses frequencies far above the 4G LTE/5G mobile phone frequencies and is, therefore an ideal complement to existing technologies.
FMD member institutes Fraunhofer IAF and Fraunhofer HHI achieved a record transmission performance of 100 Gbit/s over a 500 m free-space distance for the first time. The transmission took place at a carrier frequency of 300 GHz within the so-called THz band (0.1 - 10 THz). The first prototype of a THz outdoor unit with an integrated, coherent fiber optic interface uses a high-performance THz modem with signal processing algorithms from Fraunhofer HHI and fast, indium gallium arsenide-based ultra-high-frequency integrated electronic circuits from Fraunhofer IAF.
This is another important step towards a market-ready THz transmission system. The unique ability to integrate free-space THz transmission systems into existing fiber optic networks without an additional digital interface will greatly improve network connectivity for all participants. The fusion with the fiber optic infrastructure is a commercially promising solution to achieve data rates up to 100x higher than in 5G, initially in targeted areas such as urban areas and the future in a broad field of application.
Participating FMD member institutes: Fraunhofer IAF and Fraunhofer HHI