Tektronix and IEMN, a major French research laboratory, recently demonstrated a single carrier wireless link traveling at a 100 Gb/s data rate. This demonstration uses advanced data coding, THz photonics and wideband and linear devices to enable ultra-fast wireless connections in the 252 - 325 GHz band per the recently published IEEE 802.15.3d standard.
The purpose of the new 802.15.3d standard is to provide for low complexity, low cost, low power consumption, very high data rate wireless connectivity among devices and in the future 'low THz' bands. Potential applications include consumer multimedia, wireless switched point-to-point applications in data centers, wireless backhaul/front haul, intra-device communications and a wide variety of additional use cases such as rapid large multimedia data downloads and file exchanges between two devices in close proximity.
Achieving 100 Gb/s and beyond requires the extension of carrier frequencies to the millimeter/sub-millimeter range, around 300 GHz, also called the "THz band." Using a combination of optical coherent technologies and THz transceivers, this latest demonstration showcased the advances being made toward operational wireless links with THz frequencies and optical-equivalent data rates.
The demonstration was accomplished within the framework of several research projects including the COM'TONIQ, Era-net Chistera TERALINKS and TERASONIC ANR projects in THz communications. The French Equipex programs, "FLUX" (high-speed guided fiber/wireless-based advanced data coms) and "ExCELSIOR" (advanced characterization of nano-devices and systems) also supported this effort along with IEMN platform facilities and the RENATECH French nanofabrication network, IRCICA USR-3380. The demonstration was also supported by the CPER "Photonics for society" and contributes to the "digital world" Hub 3 of the I-Site Université de Lille Nord de France.
The Tektronix test equipment used in the IEMN demonstration included an AWG70000 Series 50GS/s arbitrary waveform generator, DPO70000SX 70 GHz oscilloscopes and an OM5110 46GBd coherent optical transmitter.
Tektronix has a long history of collaboration with IEMN on THz communications research and most recently supported the first data transmission through a THz multiplexer.
