Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics in cooperation with the Leibniz institutes IHP and FBHHigh-bit-rate electronic and photonic radio links at carrier frequencies around 300 GHz and broadband channel characterization.
The goal of this development path is the realization of radio systems in the terahertz band with data rates ≥ 100 Gbit/s, with which a point-to-multipoint radio network topology can be implemented for the first time for the construction of high-bit-rate, tightly meshed pico-cell radio networks. For this purpose, asymmetric solutions in the frequency range from 250 GHz to 320 GHz are investigated, which can achieve down-stream data rates per link in the range ≥ 100 Gbit/s. In the up-stream direction, data rates of 25 Gbit/s - 100 Gbit/s are targeted. The division of the available frequency spectrum is realized using either the TDMA or the FDMA method. The resulting broadcasting transmitter capacities can thus be several 100 Gbit/s. Terahertz radio systems offer the possibility to apply very dense space multiplexing. These will be developed here for the first time as a functional demonstrator, especially for point-to-multipoint configurations with digital beam steering for SIMO broadcasting and MISO methods to distribute data streams to multiple spatial directions. The goal is to demonstrate bi-directional communication to at least two other terahertz transmit and receive units spaced 25 m to 100 m apart. In parallel, systems for over-the-air (OTA) testing and channel sounding for frequencies up to 500 GHz are being developed to characterize the components for the terahertz radio systems and to precisely measure time-variant radio channels for future data transmission systems. This development path combines HHI's expertise in photonic terahertz source development, terahertz wireless communication systems, baseband signal processing, and radio channel characterization with IAF's expertise in InP-based terahertz front ends.