Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Millimeter-wave bands are especially of interest because a massive amount of RF spectrum has recently been allocated worldwide for wireless communications in the 57-64 GHz, 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz, and 92-95 GHz bands. Intensive research efforts have been oriented to design compact and low-cost millimeter-wave wireless transceivers having an inherent wideband, compared to their microwave counterparts. Data-rates of several Gb/s are reachable using the SISO approach, according to allocated spectrum. New techniques, such as MIMO, are envisaged to increase link data capacity up to quasi-optical ones without increasing channel bandwidth. MIMO techniques have focused primarily on non line-of-sight links operating at low GHz carrier frequencies and aggregate data-rates below 1 Gb/s. A unique feature of communications at mm-wave carriers is that spatial multiplexing is available for MIMO links even without a rich scattering environment (principally line-of-sight), exploiting the principles of diffraction-limited optics. The short wavelengths permit a large number of spatial channels, while the large available bandwidths permit a high data-rate per spatial channel. Despite his great potential, due to the complexity and novelty of this multi-disciplinary research, until now, only initial works have been reported worldwide. The proposed project will take advantage of our research team's strong expertise in both mm-wave and signal processing techniques. Research efforts will be oriented towards the design of new MIMO system architectures, prototype transceiver fabrication using integrated planar technologies (employing innovative mm-wave components, such as intelligent antennas and multi-ports), and indoor measurements of V-band MIMO links.The new knowledge emerged from this project and the training of highly qualified personnel associated to the different stages of this work will certainly contribute to enhance Canada's global competitiveness in this high-technology sector.