###Developing the first wireless multi Giga-bit link in the 2-5 THz region.
Project ID: 2228bd1206 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Information and Communication Technologies
UCL Lead department: Electronic and Electrical Engineering (EEE)
Lead Supervisor: Cyril Renaud
Project Summary:
With an ever-increasing demand on data transmission, wireless systems are forced to explore all part of the electromagnetic spectrum. While currently a large amount of work is done either at frequencies between 100 and 600 GHz or in the optical domain (visible or infrared) both demonstrating multi giga-bits throughput, one part of the spectrum remains unexplored. In the range between 2 THz and 5 THz, while atmospheric absorption is relatively high, there is still several windows covering over 450 GHz of bandwidth that are useable for transmission. The main limitation in exploring that part of the spectrum has been technological. However, recent advances in Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) have offered the possibility to achieve source power of several milliwatts. In parallel, advances in Schottky detectors for space applications offer sufficiently high sensitivity receivers for a link to operate. Within this PhD project we expect the work to lead to the world first demonstration of a multi-gigabit point to point link based in Quantum Cascade Lasers. The project will start with cryo-cooled QCL (provided by the university of Leeds) directly modulated and commercial Schottky receivers as well as developing a channel model for the THz link. This will be followed by collaborative development work with the university of Leeds to develop higher bandwidth direct modulation of the source and exploring both direct and coherent detection systems. We expect the work to finalise the demonstration of a, at minimum, 10 Gbit/s point to point link by the end of the PhD programme. Note that this work will form part of the research within a UKRI Programme grant including the universities of Leeds and Cambridge (EP/W028921/1). The work will be supported with access to facilities by Airbus, Dell EMC and the European Space Agency.