Prospects for the Usage of Millimetre Wave Bands

• Organisers

  Antonella Bogoni, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
  Thomas R. Clark, JHU Applied Physics Laboratory, USA
  Cristina Benea, EPFL, Switzerland
  Antonio Malacarne, CNIT, Italy

• Day & Time

  22.09.2022, 08:30 – 10:15

• Location

  Room Delhi

• Description

  The use of radiations with wavelength from ten to one millimeter, commonly called millimeter waves and corresponding to the radio frequencies in the range 30 – 300 GHz, is often considered as a communication medium.

  The increasing bandwidth requirement of new wireless applications has led to standardization of the millimeter wave spectrum for high-speed wireless communication. In addition, in the newest generation of cell phone and 5G networks, such a frequency regime allows smaller frequency reuse distances and hardware miniaturization. Scientific research then, always projected to the future, is already studying the potential to extend the carrier frequency of wireless systems up to the (sub-)THz regime.

  On the other hand, mm-wave bands have also proved to be an excellent sensing medium, thanks to the modest size of antennas and consequent narrow beams, operation across a wide bandwidth and interaction with atmospheric constituents. Going up to Terahertz then, opens up countless new applications in biology, medicine, security, cultural heritage and beyond.

  In both these macro-sectors – communication and sensing – photonics becomes the answer to the challenges related to the generation and distribution of mm-wave signals.

  This symposium will review and discuss the recent progress and future challenges of mm-wave communication and radar systems, focusing on how photonics technologies may impact the usage of mm-wave bands, as well as the potentialities and current limits of the sub-THz and THz regimes, in these as in other applications.

• Programme

  08:30: Perspectives of photonics-based sub-THz generation for wireless communications
       Maurizio Burla, TU Berlin, Germany

  08:55: Precise and high-speed optical modulation for millimeter-wave and THz-wave generation
       Tetsuya Kawanishi, Waseda University, Japan

  09:20: Observations from using mm-Wave radars in Hospitals & Long-Term Care Homes
       George Shaker, University of Waterloo, Canada

  09:45: Progress and prospects of high-average power THz pulsed sources
       Clara Saraceno, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany

  10:10: Final Q&A for all speakers and closing

• Speakers

  Speaker 1: Maurizio Burla, TU Berlin, Germany
  Title: Perspectives of photonics-based sub-THz generation for wireless communications
  Abstract: For about four decades, photonics techniques for radio frequency signal generation have been explored to improve phase noise, stability and tuning flexibility compared to purely-electronic approaches. Their benefits become particularly prominent with increasing electrical frequencies and approaching the THz range. A strong drive towards photonic THz generation has been given by 5G and 6G wireless, leading to unseen performance. In this talk we will survey recent trends in photonic THz generation and discuss their impact to demanding applications such as wireless communications, where additional benefits of photonics such as low-loss signal distribution and direct interfacing to fiber optic networks become key.
  Short bio: Maurizio Burla received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Perugia, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Twente. From 2012 to 2015 he has worked as a FQRNT fellow at INRS-EMT, Montreal, on microwave and all-optical signal processing on silicon photonic devices. Until 2022 he was with ETH Zurich as SNF Ambizione fellow, working on microwave photonics and plasmonics for THz wireless applications. He currently holds the chair of High Frequency Technologies and Photonics at TU Berlin. His research interests include integrated photonic technologies for microwave signal processing, mm-wave and THz wireless systems, and electronic-photonic integration.

  Speaker 2: Tetsuya Kawanishi, Waseda University, Japan
  Title: Precise and high-speed optical modulation for millimeter-wave and THz-wave generation
  Abstract: This presentation focuses on high-speed and precise optical modulation devices for millimeter-wave and THz-wave generation. Optical modulators using electro-optic effect offers precise control of lightwaves for wideband signals. As an example, we will review linear cell radar systems, which are radar systems consisting of many antenna units connected by radio-over-fiber to monitor linear-shaped areas. A linear cell system using a millimeter-wave band can provide high-resolution imaging for foreign object detection on runways. This presentation also covers device measurement techniques based on precise optical modulation, such as frequency response measurement of photodetectors using high-precision amplitude modulation.
  Short bio: TETSUYA KAWANISHI received the B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in electronics from Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, in 1992, 1994, and 1997, respectively. From 1994 to 1995, he was with the Production Engineering Laboratory, Panasonic. In 1997, he was with the Venture Business Laboratory, Kyoto University, where he was engaged in research on electromagnetic scattering and near-field optics. In 1998, he joined National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Japan. Since April 2015, he has been a Professor with Waseda University, Tokyo. He is an IEEE fellow. His current research interests include high-speed optical modulators and RF photonics.

  Speaker 3: George Shaker, University of Waterloo, Canada
  Title: Observations from using mm-Wave radars in Hospitals & Long-Term Care Homes
  Abstract: For several years, researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of using mm-Wave radars for sensing various health modalities in laboratory settings. In this talk, we share some insights from our test campaigns in hospitals and long-term care homes. We highlight some of the successes as well as some of the major challenges that face the adoption of radar technology for daily healthcare monitoring.
  Short bio: Prof. George Shaker is the lab director of the Wireless Sensors and Devices Laboratory at the University of Waterloo-Schlegel Research Institute for Aging. He is an (Adjunct + Research) professor with University of Waterloo at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering as well as the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering. Previously, he was an NSERC scholar at Georgia Institute of Technology. He also held multiple roles with RIM's (BlackBerry). Dr. Shaker has authored/coauthored 80+ publications and 30+ patents/patent applications. His wireless systems designs can be witnessed in millions of devices in market. To date, he has received over 40 international awards and best paper recognitions for his research work on wireless sensor and communication systems. 

  Speaker 4: Clara Saraceno, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
  Title: Progress and prospects of high-average power THz pulsed sources
  Abstract: Ultrafast laser-driven terahertz time-domain spectroscopy has developed into a mature technique. Both advances in driving lasers and the THz generation process have led to unique sources, which continuously sparks advances in many fields. However, the low average power of ultrafast THz sources often continues to be a roadblocker for applications, resulting in unwanted compromises such as impractically long measurement times and/or reduced dynamic range (DR). In this presentation we will review recent progress in the generation of high average power THz pulses, using state-of-the-art laser driving sources and present prospects for future areas that these developments promise to unblock.
  Short bio: Clara Saraceno completed her studies in Optics in France in 2007. After a short stay in industry in 2008 (Coherent Inc), she continued her academic training in Switzerland, completing a doctorate in Physics at ETH Zurich in 2012 which brought her, amongst other distinctions, the 2013 QEOD Thesis Prize, of the European Physical Society. From 2013-2016, she worked as a Postdoc at the University of Neuchatel and ETH Zürich. In 2016 she received a Sofja Kovalevskaja Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to start her independent research group in Bochum as an associate professor. Currently, she is a full professor in the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology in the Ruhr University Bochum, where she works on various aspects of ultrafast laser science and THz technology.