Vision & objectives

The vision

Exploitation of the radio spectrum in D-band (130-174.8 GHz) with beam steering functionality enables wireless links with data rate exceeding current V band and E band wireless backhaul solutions by at least a factor of 10 and brings wireless systems to the speed of optical systems.

The objectives

Demonstrate the feasibility of low-cost SiGe BiCMOS transceiver analog front end enabling link data rate up to 100 Gb/s in D-band.
The project targets to enable innovative mmW systems beyond 100 GHz delivering data rate exceeding current V band and E band wireless backhaul solution by at least a factor of 10.

Provide a high capacity backhauling in D-band for future Small Cells access point networks. This enables the challenge of bringing mmW radios to the access points in order to exploit the large bandwidth available and to avoid disruption or environmental impact of fibre optic laying. Fast mobile broadband access with low latency and high speed end-to-end connectivity even at the cell edge (100 Mb/s minimum), will be enabled by the D-band very high throughput inter-small cell backhauling links.

Increase flexibility and cost saving for network operator. Inter-small cell backhauling connections by compact and low cost D-band transceiver, with antenna beam steering option, will enable the network deployment and will bring small cell access point data traffic close to the fiber backbone. Software Defined Network deployed using Centralized Radio Access Network in highly optimized and power efficient data center will be consequently enabled.

Reduction of the cost and power consumption (green radio) of high data rate small cell backhaul/fronthaul links in D-band. The use of D-band radios, directive and beam steering antennas results in a reduced emitted power requirement, more efficient transmitter implementation and a better efficiency of the spectrum usage (since high frequency reuse can be achieved). The project targets to reduce significantly the radios and network power consumption, by moving to low complexity modulation scheme leveraging wide frequency bands available beyond 100 GHz (more than 40 GHz of potential bandwidth around 150 GHz).

The technical challenges

The development of low cost and small form factor components, systems and algorithms, which will enable flexible, high-data rate and power efficient D-band backhauling/front hauling into beyond 5G mobile networks, will raise the following major technical challenges.

Defining the specifications of high data rate wireless link in D-band using real use cases and mobile network configurations. Due to the lack of regulation in this band, we will take the opportunity to deeply study which arrangement among TDD, FDD, FDD-F and ZDD would be better to reach the main objectives proposed. Strong impact on the transceiver architectures is then expected.

Demonstrating the way to de-risk D-band transceiver front end building blocks through low-cost SiGe BiCMOS process and leading edge millimetre wave substrate technology for antenna array and packaging fabrication.

Leveraging the performance of mmW SiGe BiCMOS process to the requirements of applications beyond 100 GHz of frequency carrier and Enabling solution up to 100 Gb/s throughput, while lowering their cost for the massive deployment of small cells in urban environments.

Designing steerable phased-array antennas with electronic beam-steering (or switching) operating in D-band. Each antenna elements or group of elements (sub array) are fed by a phase shifted and amplified signal through a properly designed SiGe BiCMOS chip set.