< Back to previous page

Project

Building Extreme-throughput Wireless Communication Systems above 100 GHz

Over the last decades, wireless communications have evolved in order to support an ever-increasing throughput thanks to higher bandwidth, spatial multiplexing, and improved implementation of high-speed communication schemes. In order to achieve 100 Gbps or more, novel solutions are required to go beyond what is offered by 5G networks and by the latest WLAN standards such as 802.11ax/ay. Investigating frequencies above 100 GHz will be necessary in order to provide a sufficient bandwidth. However, this comes with specific challenges, requiring large multiple-antenna systems using MU-MIMO or hybrid beamforming approaches in order to overcome the specific propagation characteristics. Simultaneously we must manage the huge implementation complexity, power consumption and sensitivity to non-idealities of such systems. New waveforms may complement the state-of-the-art OFDM and be more suited to the specific propagation and implementation constraints. Agile beam tracking and optimization will be required to sustain mobile and multi-user conditions, next to novel high-efficiency MIMO schemes. Dedicated digital compensation solutions will be required in order to address non-idealities of RF front-ends operating above 100 GHz, co-optimizing the role of digital and analog components in the whole system for the best overall power-performance trade-off. This PhD will build on IMEC's experience of high-throughput mm-wave communication systems and identify the key components to investigate based on state-of-the-art literature and assessment of the expected link and system power consumption in future systems. Novel waveforms, signal processing blocks and system architectures will be simulated primarily in Matlab in order to evaluate the system performance and optimize the different components. This research may be combined with experiments and measurement on communication testbeds.

Date:11 Jun 2021 →  Today
Keywords:Wireless communications
Disciplines:Wireless communications
Project type:PhD project