Terahertz Terabit Wireless Communication

Recently, terahertz (THz) technology has attracted a great deal of interest from academia and industry. This is due to a number of interesting features of THz waves, including the tens and hundreds of gigahertz bandwidths available, and the fact that this frequency band poses only a minor health threat. Also, as millimeter-wave communication systems mature, the focus of research is, naturally, moving to the THz range. According to Shannon theory, the broad bandwidth of the THz frequency bands can be used for terabit-per-second (Tb/s) wireless indoor communication systems (see "Terabit Versus Terahertz"). This enables several new applications, such as cordless phones with 360° auto stereoscopic displays, optic-fiber replacement, and wireless Tb/s file transferring. All of these applications provide higher quality and a better user experience. Although THz technology could satisfy the demand for an extremely high data rate, a number of technical challenges need to be overcome or better understood before its development. This article provides an overview the state-of the-art in THz wireless communication and it is also a tutorial for an emerging application in Terabit radio systems. The objective is to construct robust, low-cost wireless systems for THz terabit communications.

[1]  Hua Zhong,et al.  Terahertz Spectroscopy and Imaging for Defense and Security Applications , 2007, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[2]  Arnulf Leuther,et al.  A 120–145 GHz Heterodyne Receiver Chipset Utilizing the 140 GHz Atmospheric Window for Passive Millimeter-Wave Imaging Applications , 2010, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[3]  János Hebling,et al.  Efficient generation of subpicosecond terahertz radiation by phase-matched optical rectification using ultrashort laser pulses with tilted pulse fronts , 2003 .

[4]  Kao-Cheng Huang,et al.  Millimeter-Wave Communication Systems , 2011, CMOS Millimeter-Wave Integrated Circuits for Next Generation Wireless Communication Systems.

[5]  Yury A Tarakanov,et al.  A carbon nanotube field effect transistor with a suspended nanotube gate. , 2007, Nano letters.

[6]  Tino Hofmann,et al.  Terahertz magneto-optic generalized ellipsometry using synchrotron and blackbody radiation , 2006 .

[7]  Daniel Creeden,et al.  Compact, high average power, fiber-pumped terahertz source for active real-time imaging of concealed objects. , 2007, Optics express.

[8]  Tokumaru Michiko.  Millimeter-Wave Communication Systems , 2009 .

[9]  Thomas M. Antonsen,et al.  THZ generation by ultra-short laser pulses propagating in nonuniform plasma chanels , 2005 .

[10]  Michael Herrmann,et al.  Generation and detection of terahertz pulsed radiation with photoconductive antennas and its application to imaging , 2002 .

[11]  A. Leuther,et al.  A 220 GHz Single-Chip Receiver MMIC With Integrated Antenna , 2008, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[12]  M. Yurkov,et al.  The Physics of Free Electron Lasers , 1999 .

[13]  W. Hafez,et al.  Pseudomorphic InP/InGaAs Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (PHBTs) Experimentally Demonstrating fT = 765 GHz at 25°C Increasing to fT = 845 GHz at -55°C , 2006, 2006 International Electron Devices Meeting.

[14]  M. Margala,et al.  A Terahertz Transistor Based on Geometrical Deflection of Ballistic Current , 2006, 2006 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[15]  Mark J. Rosker,et al.  THz electronics projects at DARPA: Transistors, TMICs, and amplifiers , 2010, 2010 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium.

[16]  W. Deal,et al.  Sub 50 nm InP HEMT Device with Fmax Greater than 1 THz , 2007, 2007 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting.

[17]  Jana Mendrok,et al.  Laboratory spectroscopic measurement of water vapor for the terahertz-wave propagation model , 2008 .

[18]  Paul Harrison,et al.  Terahertz sources and systems , 2001 .

[19]  Robert W Heath,et al.  60 GHz Wireless: Up Close and Personal , 2010, IEEE Microwave Magazine.

[20]  Zhaocheng Wang,et al.  Millimeter Wave Communication Systems: Huang/Millimeter Wave Communication System , 2011 .

[21]  Daniel W. van der Weide,et al.  Applications and Outlook for Electronic Terahertz Technology , 2003 .

[22]  Subrahmanyam Pilla.  Enhancing the photomixing efficiency of optoelectronic devices in the terahertz regime , 2007 .