Naoya Kukutsu

10-Gbit/s Wireless Link Using InP HEMT MMICs for Generating 120-GHz-Band Millimeter-Wave Signal

We have developed a 120-GHz-band wireless link whose maximum transmission data rate is 11.1 Gbit/s. The wireless link uses millimeter-wave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) for the generation of a 120-GHz-band millimeter-wave wireless signal. The MMICs were fabricated using 0.1-mum-gate InP-HEMTs and coplanar waveguides. The wireless link can handle four kinds of data rate for OC-192 and 10-Gbit Ethernet standards with and without forward error correction (FEC). We succeeded in the error-free transmission of a 10-Gbit/s signal over a distance of 800 m. The introduction of FEC into the 120-GHz-band wireless link decreased the minimum received power for error-free transmission, and improved the reliability of the link.

Latest Trends in Millimeter-wave Imaging Technology

This paper overviews the latest trends of millimeter- wave (MMW) imaging technologies, focusing mainly on applications of and technical parameter variations for security surveillance and nondestructive inspections (NDI). We introduce a smart NDI tool using active W-band imaging, which is capable of detecting hidden surface cracks in concrete structures.

Terahertz wireless communication link at 300 GHz

We present a terahertz wave wireless link operating at 300 GHz which has a potential for use in ultra fast future wireless services in short range. Terahertz wave was generated and modulated with photonic technologies in the transmitter, allowing us to use radio on fiber system concept as well. For the receiver, we used a Schottky barrier diode detector integrated with a planar antenna. With the link, error free data transmission at 12.5 Gbps was experimentally demonstrated. Taking the performance margin of the transmitter and receiver into consideration, we believe that even up to 20-Gbps data can be transmitted.

120-GHz-Band Wireless Link Technologies for Outdoor 10-Gbit/s Data Transmission

Our progress in 120-GHz-band wireless link technologies enables us to transmit 10-Gbit/s data transmission over a distance of more than 1 km. The 120-GHz-band wireless link uses high-speed uni-traveling carrier photodiodes (UTC-PD) and InP high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) millimeter-wave (MMW) monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) for the generation of MMW signals. We investigate the maximum output power of these devices and compare the phase noise of MMW signals generated by UTC-PDs and InP HEMT MMICs. We describe the antennas we used and their operation technologies. Finally, we investigate the dependence of transmission distance on availability using the statistical rain attenuation data. The calculation results show that the 120-GHz-band wireless link can transmit 10-Gbit/s data over a distance of 1 km with availability of 99.999%.

Transmission Characteristics of 120-GHz-Band Wireless Link Using Radio-on-Fiber Technologies

The transmission characteristics of a 120-GHz-band millimeter-wave wireless link are described. The wireless link uses photonic technologies for generation, modulation, and transmission of millimeter-wave signals. This configuration enables set up of the photonic millimeter-wave generator and transmitter core separately; therefore, the wireless link can be used as a kind of radio-over-fiber system. The effects of transmitting 120-GHz-band optical subcarrier signals through single-mode fibers were theoretically and experimentally investigated. It was confirmed that the time shift of the code edges, because of chromatic dispersion, limits the transmission distance. A data stream at 10-Gbit/s was successfully transmitted over the 120-GHz-band millimeter-wave wireless link, with a bit error rate (BER) below 10-12 over a distance of 250 m. The results also demonstrated the stability of the wireless link, which satisfied the 10-Gb Ethernet standard under clear weather conditions.

Fully Integrated ASK Receiver MMIC for Terahertz Communications at 300 GHz

An ASK receiver MMIC operating at 300 GHz for future terahertz communications is presented. In the receiver IC, we fully integrated all necessary components-a receiving dipole antenna, high gain RF amplifier, envelop detector for demodulating ASK signal and output differential data amplifier-in a 1000×2500 μm2 area. A silicon lens was used to compensate for the small gain of the on-chip antenna. To ensure reliable and stable operation, we designed the MMIC with a thin-film microstrip line, which is expected to suppress crosstalk between the on-chip antenna and the RF amplifier through the substrate and silicon lens. The packaged receiver module with the silicon lens is expected to provide approximately 24-dBi beam directivity. Measured RF and baseband bandwidths are around 30 and 15 GHz, respectively, when a single bias of 3.3 V and total current of around 86 mA are applied. With the receiver module, simple wireless data transmission was conducted for up to 24 Gbps in the 300-GHz band. At 12.5 Gbps, error-free data transmission (bit error rate <; 10-9) over 0.3 m was achieved with the transmission power of - 16-dBm and a 25-dBi transmitting antenna. With -10-dBm transmission power, measured Q-factors of the received eye patterns were larger than 6 for up to 20 Gbps, which implies that the bit error rate will be less than 10-9.

50-Gb/s Direct Conversion QPSK Modulator and Demodulator MMICs for Terahertz Communications at 300 GHz

We demonstrate direct quadrature modulator and demodulator monolithic microwave integrated circuits for future terahertz communications at 300 GHz based on the quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) modulation format. For the modulating and demodulating signal, we employed half-Gilbert cell mixers, which provide balanced signaling and moderate performance in conversion efficiency with a simple circuit configuration. In order to maintain the balance performance of the modulator and demodulator, passive baluns and couplers are implemented with thin-film microstrip lines, which exhibit less insertion loss than inverted microstrip lines (IMSLs), while the active mixers are based on IMSLs for short interconnections. The half-Gilbert-cell mixers have a wide enough operation bandwidth for high-throughput communications of more than 10% at 300 GHz. According to the static constellation of the modulator, imbalance is expected to be less than approximately ±0.6 dB ∠4°. A nonchip back-to-back experiment was conducted at up to 60 Gb/s, and 50-Gb/s operation was verified with a low bit error rate on the order of 10-8 or less. The results demonstrate that the QPSK modulation scheme can be applied to double the data rate at terahertz frequencies.

Uni-Travelling-Carrier Photodiode Module Generating 300 GHz Power Greater Than 1 mW

In this letter, we demonstrate over 1 mW power generation at 300 GHz with a uni-travelling-carrier photodiode (UTC-PD) packaged in a WR-3 waveguide module. To increase the maximum power, two identical UTC-PDs were monolithically integrated along with a T-junction to combine the power from the two PDs. The UTC-PD module exhibited peak saturated output power of approximately 1.2 mW at 300 GHz with photocurrent of around 20 mA per PD and bias voltage of -3.9 V. In addition, 3 and 10 dB bandwidths were measured to be around 70 GHz or 23% and over 150 GHz or 50%, respectively.

5.8-km 10-Gbps data transmission over a 120-GHz-band wireless link

We have developed 120-GHz-band wireless equipment that can transmit 10-Gbit/s data signal over a distance of more than 5 km. In order to increase the output power of the120-GHz-band wireless equipment, we used a millimeter-wave amplifier that integrates 0.08-µm-gate-length InGaAs/InP composite-channel high-electron-mobility transistors. The output power of the wireless equipment becomes 16 dBm. The wireless equipment can handle data rates of 1 Mbit/s to 11.1 Gbit/s and transmit 10-Gbit/s-class data signals with and without forward error correction (FEC). We conducted wireless data transmission experiments over a distance of 4.8 km and 5.8 km and succeeded in the error-free data transmission of 10-Gbit/s data with FEC.

10-Gbit/s MMIC wireless link exceeding 800 meters

We have developed a 120-GHz-band wireless link that uses MMICs for the generation, modulation, and amplification of 125-GHz signals. We succeeded in the error-free (BER=10-12) transmission of a 10-Gbit/s signal over a distance of 800 m, and the maximum transmission distance was estimated to be about 2 km.