TERAhertz high power LINKS using photonic devices, tube amplifiers and Smart antennas (TERALINKS)
Lead Research Organisation:
Lancaster University
Department Name: Engineering
Abstract
The TERALINKS project is dedicated to the demonstration of a real-time THz communication system, with the 200-300 GHz bandwidth, in an operational environment.
The TERALINKS consortium aims to integrate three key enabling technologies and demonstrate the state of the art system with industrial relevance: THz sources (photonics- based for bandwidth and core network compatibility), THz power generation using travelling wave tubes as one of the most promising high power sources at frequencies of interest, and advanced THz antennas. The TERALINKS consortium consists of key European institutes with notable but complementary expertise in every key building block of novel THz communication systems, and all consortium members have established considerable experiences in developing THz communication components and the system using technologies than span from photonics, to high frequency electronics. Our vision is to take fundamental research from individual university labs to a point where it is can revolutionise future mobile communications, with a manifold return for Europe, in innovation and exploitation. The project duration is proposed for 24 months.
The TERALINKS consortium aims to integrate three key enabling technologies and demonstrate the state of the art system with industrial relevance: THz sources (photonics- based for bandwidth and core network compatibility), THz power generation using travelling wave tubes as one of the most promising high power sources at frequencies of interest, and advanced THz antennas. The TERALINKS consortium consists of key European institutes with notable but complementary expertise in every key building block of novel THz communication systems, and all consortium members have established considerable experiences in developing THz communication components and the system using technologies than span from photonics, to high frequency electronics. Our vision is to take fundamental research from individual university labs to a point where it is can revolutionise future mobile communications, with a manifold return for Europe, in innovation and exploitation. The project duration is proposed for 24 months.
Planned Impact
See CHIST-ERA submission form
Publications
Basu R
(2018)
Design of sub-THz traveling wave tubes for high data rate long range wireless links
in Semiconductor Science and Technology
Belem-Goncalves C
(2019)
THz links using tube amplifiers and steerable beams for indoor applications
Dhillon S
(2017)
The 2017 terahertz science and technology roadmap
in Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
Li X
(2018)
Design of 71-76 GHz Double-Corrugated Waveguide Traveling-Wave Tube for Satellite Downlink
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Paoloni C
(2020)
Millimeter wave traveling wave tubes for the 21st Century
in Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications
Paoloni C
(2021)
Next Generation Wireless Terahertz Communication Networks
Shi J
(2019)
Modeling and Analysis of Point-to-Multipoint Millimeter Wave Backhaul Networks
in IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications
| Description | The first part of the project was devoted to define the final specifications of the front-end with the consortium partners. The specifications for the traveling wave tube are at the state of the art. The frequency band, 220 - 260 GHz permits to transmit at very high data rate, about 40 Gb/s. The challenge is the design of the interaction structure, or slow wave structure, (SWS) of easy fabrication and with the performance required to provide a few Watt of transmission power. The main activity is on the design of the SWS using the double corrugated waveguide (DCW). The dimensions are at the limit of the conventional CNC milling. A first test at scaled frequency, with potential interest in satellite communications (72 GHz, corresponding to 1/3 of the operation frequency) was performed to verify the quality of the simulations and the fabrication challenges. The first samples produced are very promising. Further test at higher frequency are in progress. The design is progressing with different topologies and 3D particle in cells (PIC) simulations for the large signal performance. The PIC simulations involves millions of mesh cells and particles to model the electrons in the beam. A high end workstation with GPU is used for the purpose. The design of the electron gun and the window is in progress. In addition, a Lagrangian code for fast simulation of the large signal performance is in development, to reduce substantially the design time. The complexity and not symmetry of the DCW, requires a different modelling approach that is under test. A novel topology of TWT at 210 -250 GHz has been designed to reduce the complexity to one section instead of the two sections typical of conventional TWTs. This is possible due to the high losses of the DCW at G-band that prevent the stimulation of oscillations due to port mismatch. The design has been validated by extensive simulations. The electron gun and the beam optics are in fabrication phase, the collector has been fabricated. The beam tester has been assembled in the third quarter of 2019. The DCW was fabricated and tested. It has a wide band from 210 to 250 GHz, the losses are less than 10 dB. The S-parameter demonstrated the high quality of the structure. The first sample was bonded by diffusion bonding. It was successful, but in machining phase a short section resulted not bonded. A refinement of the diffusion bonding is in progress. A second structure has been built and it will be bonded and machined in the right shape to be assembled in the TWT. Further, tests are in progress to produce it by LIGA, that would be much faster and cheaper than the high precision CNC milling actually used. The electron gun parts were produced, as well the collector. The RF windows will be in fabrication phase. All the parts of G-band TWT is have been produced. Unfortunately, the cathode subassembly did not work, so the beam test was not successful. A new electron gun was built. The beam emission is correct. As soon as the electron beam is well defined the final TWT will be assembled and tested. The project is concluded, but having all the parts, the plan is to fabricate the TWT and perform a test in laboratory at University of Lille using the TWT as power amplifier for their G-band high data rate transmitter based on photodiode. It would be a world first of huge impact. To note that the pandemic has delayed substantially the work |
| Exploitation Route | The paper published http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8268660/ provide a novel topology of two section TWT that can be adopted for any frequency range. This new paper describes the advanced design that will be used to build the 210 - 250 GHz TWT, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6641/aae859/meta. The same approach will be used to build the G-band (275 - 305GHz) TWT for the European Commission H2020 ULTRAWAVE www.ultrawave2020.eu. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Security and Diplomacy |
| URL | https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6641/aae859/meta |
| Description | The results of the research have impact in the design and production of a 275 - 305 GHz TWT in the frame of the European Commission H2020 ULTRAWAVE. The project has been very beneficial to anticipate the technological issues and find solutions. The TWT is at the state of the art, so the development of new solutions is fundamental for progressing in the field. Big player in the wireless market are showing interest in the TWT technology for sub-THz links at high capacity. Also the research contributes to define new fabrication processes for sub-THz structures that can be applied to TWTs as well as filters, antennas and other components. The diffusion bonding is one of the key process for the success of the TWT, because of the need to have the SWS vacuum tight and machined with a specific shape. A failure in the diffusion bonding is catastrophic. A substantial effort has been devoted to establish a repeatable process. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Economic |
| Description | DLINK - D-band Wireless Link with Fibre Data Rate |
| Amount | £880,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/S009620/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2022 |
| Description | Horizon 2020 ULTRAWAVE Ultra capacity wireless layer beyond 100 GHz based on millimetre wave Traveling Wave Tubes |
| Amount | € 2,971,368 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 762119 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 09/2017 |
| End | 09/2020 |
| Title | Design of Slow Wave Structure for G-band TWT for High Data Rate Links |
| Description | The dataset contains all the data to generate the figures and the graphs in the paper. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Researchers have availble the design data of a novel G-Band SWS |
| URL | http://www.research.lancs.ac.uk/portal/en/datasets/design-of-slow-wave-structure-for-gband-twt-for-h... |
| Description | G-Band TWT |
| Organisation | University of California, Davis |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Design of G-band TWT |
| Collaborator Contribution | THz device fabrication technology and electron gun |
| Impact | Definition of the fabrication tolerances |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | 2nd Towards THz Communications Workshop, Brussels, 7th March 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This 2nd workshop aims at bringing together key actors currently working on, or having interest, in THz communications in order to explore future R&I plans for the period beyond 2020. The main goal of the workshop is an overview of the current state of the art of the research in this area, to discuss the main challenges still to be explored, to highlight key research directions for future R&I actions and to share opinions on the foreseen frequency bands which could be good candidate to be supported by the EU in the global allocation exercise. The workshop was concluded by a panel session with the plenary speakers to summarise ideas and provide an input to EC for future calls. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://ultrawave2020.eu/second-thz-communications-workshop/ |
| Description | @ClPaoloni |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Use of twitter account @ClPaoloni to disseminate the main event and achievement of DLINK |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/ClPaoloni |
| Description | Invited Seminar Claudio Paoloni, "Millimeter wave wireless communications toward 300 GHz" at University of California Davis, US, 5th December 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Scientific seminar at University of California Davis, Davis US |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Lead Guest Editor IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices Special Issue on "From Mega to nano: Beyond one Century of Vacuum Electronics" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Lead Editor of a new special issue in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices on "From Mega to nano: Beyond one Century of Vacuum Electronics". Prof Paoloni formed an international teams of five distinguished guest editors. Dr. Monica Blank, CPI Industries US Dr. Jeffrey Calame Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, US Prof. Gregory Denisov Institute of Applied Physics Russian Academy of Sciences Nizhny Novgorod, Russia Dr. Diana Gamzina SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Stanford, US Prof. Yubin Gong University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) Chengdu, China |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://eds.ieee.org/publications/transactions-on-electron-devices |
| Description | Plenary talk Evolution of traveling wave tubes towards sub-THz frequency at 34th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Plenary talk at 34th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC) titled Evolution of traveling wave tubes towards sub-THz frequency Abstract After more than 80 years from their invention, traveling wave tubes (TWTs) are still widely used at microwave frequencies especially for satellite communications or in defence applications. Their technology is well established, mostly based on helix slow wave structures. The rising interest to the sub-THz spectrum beyond 90 GHz is stimulating a resurgence in the advancements in TWT technology [1]. Solid state amplifiers have very limited output power at sub-THz frequencies. On the contrary, TWTs can provide power at Watt level. This fundamental feature is exploited to enabling new wireless networks for transport of multigigabit data rate at sub-THz frequencies [2]. The huge amount of internet traffic for 5G and future 6G needs wide frequency bands for supporting multigigabit data rate. The sub-THz spectrum offers tens of GHz not yet exploited due to the high atmosphere and rain attenuation at the increase of the distance and the lack of solid-state amplifier with the necessary output power to satisfy the link budget. TWT can enable both point to point and point to multipoint at sub-THz frequencies with very high data rate [3, 4]. The short wavelength at sub-THz frequencies is dictating a redefinition of TWTs topologies and fabrication processes. Helix slow wave structures are not feasible above 70 GHz due to the too small dimensions. New slow wave structures compatible with the available fabrication processes have been devised, such as the double corrugated waveguide, demonstrated up to 1 THz. Easy assembly, low cost fabrication, high interaction impedance SWSs are some of the challenges of the design and realization of sub-THz TWTs for high data rate wireless link. An overview of the recent advancements in TWT technology and the impact on large scale applications in novel wireless networks will be discussed. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9600741 |
| Description | Virtual booth UKRI/EPSRC Research Cluster on "RF, Microwave and Millimetre Wave Device Engineering for Wireless Connectivity toward 6G" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A virtual booth of the UKRI/EPSRC Research Cluster on "RF, Microwave and Millimetre Wave Device Engineering for Wireless Connectivity toward 6G" was set at the 14th UK, Europe, China Millimeter Waves and Terahertz Technology Workshop that will be held virtually, organised by Lancaster University, UK, on 13-15 September 2021. The booth included videos and presentation of the activities of the members of the cluster. The conference attracted more than 300 participants, with about 100 active visitor at the booth. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://wp.lancs.ac.uk/dlink/event/ |
| Description | workshop on Mechanical Engineering behind RF Cavities, 13 September 2018, STFC Daresbury Laboratory |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | ABSTRACT The resurgence of millimetre wave (30 -300 GHz) vacuum electron devices is fostered by emerging applications that need power level precluded to solid state technology. However, the short wavelength poses substantial challenges for the fabrication of the metal waveguides that must assure the interaction with the electron beam. The talk will describe the most advanced microfabrication approaches for millimetre wave backward wave oscillators and traveling wave tubes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://communities.theiet.org/groups/blogpost/view/526/841/5991 |