Switch-Mode Analog Signal Processing for Integrated 5G Transceivers

ended

Access to internet, and thus to information, is a basic human right that empowers individuals and communities to achieve their maximum capacity in promoting sustainable development and improving the quality of life. A European Commission study reveals a large gap between broadband internet speed between urban and rural areas due to the low economic profitability of investments for the telecom operator, which is increasingly becoming a knowledge divide. A promising solution to close the gap is to devise high data rate extensions to the 5G LTE technology to provide fixed wireless broadband access in rural areas. The key challenge in accomplishing the required ten-fold (10X) improvement in data rates while maintaining a low power consumption of the home outdoor modem is the design of high-performance transceiver circuits. As conventional design methodologies proves insufficient, we propose a ground-breaking paradigm shift in the implementation of analog/mixed-mode signal processing circuits to fully exploit the benefits offered by highly miniaturized nanometer-scale semiconductor technologies. The SMArT project has the following aims aligned with the aforementioned goal: (i) develop ground-breaking transceiver technologies for 5G and beyond, with immediate emphasis on energy-efficient 10Gb/s home outdoor modem to provide high-speed fixed wireless internet access to rural areas, and (ii) create a platform to train a new generation of innovative researchers through technology development to address the industrial demand for highly skilled researchers required to shape future communication systems. The active collaboration of academia and industry in training activities as well as in technology development will empower the early stage researchers with a unique mix of highly valued transferable research skills and application-focused industry perspective.