CAREER: Agile, Adaptable, and ScalableWireless Terahertz Networks: Architecture and Control

Princeton University, Princeton NJ

Investigators

Abstract

The use of frequencies above 100 GHz, i.e., Terahertz (THz) bands, is emerging as one of the accepted paradigms for future (beyond 5G) wireless systems that must cater to radically different new applications, such as autonomous and connected robotic systems, virtual reality, and extended reality. The demand for ultra-fast mobile and wireless systems has led the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to open four unlicensed bands above 95 GHz with a total of 21.2 GHz of bandwidth. These bands offer plentiful bandwidth for ultra-high-speed data transmission. However, most existing efforts involve enabling THz connectivity in the backhaul and fixed access. Indeed, different propagation characteristics, wide bandwidth, directionality, and lack of real-time adaptation prevent today’s THz wireless technologies to easily scale up and to support mobile users. This project will tackle the fundamental barriers of mobile THz communication and sensing. In particular, the project will design and build practical, scalable, mobile THz wireless technologies for next-generation communications systems. Developing new knowledge in these bands is strategically important for setting the stage for U.S. leadership in 6G and has implications for scientific and economic competitiveness. This project also advances education and diversity through developing new curricula, contributing to the training of underrepresented minorities, engaging with high-school students, and broadening access to THz testbeds. The proposal will enable agile, adaptable, and scalable wireless terahertz networks via a fundamentally new cross-layer architecture and control plane design. The proposed research includes three inter-connected thrusts: (i) It will provide an underlying building block for creating and steering custom 3D directional beams to overcome the high path loss. It introduces a first-of-its-kind multi-slit antenna structure to electronically steer a THz beam via the unique property of coupling frequency, steering angle, and slit geometry. (ii) It aims to provide uninterrupted directional communication even in the presence of nodal and environmental mobility through demonstrating an architecture with versatile stand-alone control-plane functions, including path tracking and THz link diagnostics. (iii) It will introduce transformational capabilities for joint sensing and communication above 100 GHz. Namely, repurposing a wideband data-modulated signal emitted from the proposed multi-slit antenna architecture to infer the location of the receiver and the surrounding objects in the medium. These capabilities can open up entirely new realms of possibility for the design of next-generation networks. The proposed research will be evaluated through extensive experimentation, prototype design, and system implementation. The results will be disseminated through close collaboration with industry and publications in top research venues. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.