WUT researchers are working on ultra-fast wireless data transmission

The aim of the project is to develop and test a prototype modular telecommunications link operating in the terahertz frequency band, at around 260 GHz, with a target data rate of 5 Gb/s and a range exceeding 1 kilometre. The project is being jointly carried out by researchers from the Institute of Optoelectronics at the Military University of Technology and two research teams from the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology at the Warsaw University of Technology, led by Grzegorz Pastuszak, PhD (ENG), and Prof. Paweł Kopyt. The industrial partner of the project is Rohde & Schwarz Polska.

The research work will focus on developing a modular system comprising a transmitter, a receiver, and optical systems responsible for shaping the terahertz radiation beam. The researchers will develop solutions enabling the conversion of digital data into I/Q analog signals, their transformation to an intermediate frequency, and subsequently their conversion to the frequency band around 260 GHz. They will also develop a terahertz radiation source and systems enabling its modulation and use for data transmission. The project also includes the development of a reconfigurable optical system using diffractive elements, the preparation of a receiver path enabling the reception of a THz beam after transmission through an atmospheric channel, the integration of all modules into a prototype telecommunications link, as well as research, testing, and validation of the system’s performance under atmospheric transmission conditions.

The project brings together expertise in optics, microelectronics, radio technologies, telecommunications, and digital signal processing. The technology being developed could find future applications in areas such as 6G systems, Industry 4.0 solutions, the Internet of Things, autonomous systems, and critical infrastructure. In the longer term, it could support the development of services requiring fast and reliable data transmission, such as telemedicine, virtual and augmented reality, and advanced device-to-device communication.

The project ”TeraLink – A terahertz wireless link for ultra-fast data transmission” has received financial support from the European Union under the European Funds for a Modern Economy Programme (FENG) and is being carried out under the TEAM NET scheme.