We report on a record spectral efficient terahertz communication system using a coherent radio-over-fiber (CRoF) approach. High spectral efficient back-to-back and wireless THz transmission around 325 GHz is experimentally demonstrated using a 64-QAM-OFDM modulation format and a 10 GHz wide wireless channel resulting in a data rate of 59 Gbit/s.

We report a coherent Radio-over-Fiber (CRoF) THz communication link supporting both, off-line high data-rate 59 Gbit/s transmission using a record spectral efficient 64-QAM-OFDM modulation as well as real-time HDTV transmission at 328 GHz carrier frequency.

An efficient multi-user transmission scheme at 60 GHz using a single-feed Leaky Wave Antenna (LWA) and hence requiring only a single Radio-over-Fiber link and single RF chain is presented. A Subcarrier Multiplexed (SCM) signal carrying the different users' data is transported over 2.2km of optical fiber and then upconverted to the 60 GHz band for transmission to multiple spatially separated users through the beam steering characteristics of the LWA. An overall sum data rate, the combined rate from all users, of 10.6 Gb/s using 16-QAM modulation serving 10 users over a transmission bandwidth of 3.05 GHz or 20 users with QPSK over 6.1 GHz span, is achieved experimentally. The theoretical sum data rates for 6.1 GHz bandwidth for different numbers of users are calculated, considering the SNR degradation due to the angularly dispersed LWA beam, showing that data rates over 30 Gb/s can be obtained. Finally, a system design that improves coverage and spectrum efficiency through operating multiple LWAs with a single RF chain is demonstrated.

A novel 3-D multilayer packaging technology for integrating an array of indium phosphide (InP)-based terahertz photodiodes (THz-PDs) with a rectangular waveguide power combiner (WR-PC) is proposed. The packaging concept is based on a vertical integration of an InP THz-PDs array with a multilayered WR-PC made of metallized glass-reinforced epoxy FR4 laminates using direct wafer bonding. The key motivation of this work is to develop a low-cost packaging technology for coherent power combining in the THz regime. The proposed multilayered packaging technology is generic, i.e., in principle, it would allow the integration of different and multiple planar arrays featuring photonic or electronic devices. To our knowledge, this is the first 3-D packaging concept for the THz frequency range that enables the integration of 2-D arrays of photonic or electronic devices. As a proof of concept, we here report on the design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of a straight hollow rectangular waveguide (WR-waveguide) and a 2 x 1 WR-PC for the WR3-band (220-320 GHz). Both packages feature standard cross-sectional hollow WR3-waveguides (862 μm x 431 μm) and corresponding standard UG-387/U-M flanges. They are fabricated using a stack of vertically bonded unit cells, each consisting of a 50-μm-thick glass-reinforced epoxy FR4 laminate with a 23-μm-thick top and bottom metallization. The size of a single quadratic FR4 unit cell is 24 mm x 24 mm. The fabricated straight WR3-waveguide consists of a stack of 57 FR4 unit cells of a total length of 5.4 mm. The measured transmission loss is less than 0.3 dB/mm and the return loss (RL) is less than 10 dB, within the entire WR3-band. Next, a multilayered FR4 2 x 1 WR3-PC is reported. Its design is based on that of a T-junction in H-plane where the inputs are modified to be on the same plane for facilitating subsequent integration with the planar InP chips of THz-PDs. The length of the WR3-PC is intentionally reduced for compactness and its impedance is gradually matched to achieve a low insertion loss (IL) over the entire WR3-band. The fabricated multilayered WR3-PC consists of 41 FR4 unit-cells resulting in a total thickness of only 3.9 mm. For the frequency range from 240 to 320 GHz, the simulated IL, minimum isolation, and RL are 0.16, 4.2, and 6.5 dB, respectively. For the experimental characterization using a WR3-band vector network analyzer (VNA), two multilayered FR4 2 x 1 WR3-PCs are connected back-to-back (B2B). The measured average IL and RL within the frequency range from 240 to 320 GHz are found to be 3.6 dB and below 5.2 dB, respectively. The measured average IL for a single WR3-PC is 1.8 dB, which is higher than expected because of imperfect fabrication and misalignment losses during the integration. An improved fabrication and packaging process will allow mitigating the losses in future runs.

A compact planar fixed-beam leaky-wave antenna that radiates its main beam at broadside is presented, that consists of two folded branches of periodically distributed series-fed microstrip patches. The antenna is fed from the center through a 50 Ω transmission line that subsequently feeds two constituent 100 Ω parallel branches, each consisting of eight series-fed microstrip patches. Fixed-beam operation is achieved by the combination of the two oppositely directed beams that are generated by the two branches. The proposed structure achieves a significant reduction of the longitudinal size by incorporating a 180° bend at the center of each branch, thus effectively folding the antenna in half. This results in a longitudinal size that is 1.8 times smaller than the analogous unfolded antenna. The antenna maintains a measured fixed beam at broadside over a wide zero beam-squinting bandwidth of 3 GHz in the 28 GHz band, with a radiation efficiency above 60% and a maximum measured gain of 14 dBi at 27.4 GHz, with an overall compact size of 5.8 × 1.1 cm.

A public field trial showcasing an operational RAT mobile network was implemented in one of the largest shopping malls in Warsaw, Poland. The network supports novel 60 GHz 5G mobile access as well as legacy LTE and WiFi services All mobile access services of the network are interconnected via optical fiber to the data centers of a mobile network operator and an Internet service provider. Fronthauling for the 60 GHz 5G hotspot RAU and for LTE is realized by analog RoF via a fiber optic DAS. The 60 GHz 5G RAUs for the eMBB use case and the WiFi AP are both backhauled via optical Gigabit Ethernet. The 60 GHz RAUs for the eMBB and hotspot use case feature 2D beam-switching and 1D beam-steering, respectively. Inter-RAT switching between the different mobile services with seamless user experience is achieved using a Mobile IP system with FILS.