The Com'Toniq project transmits the world's first ultra-high speed wireless communications

In the field of wireless communications, system complexity is pushing the envelope and pushing physical limits. Wireless communications systems are required to transmit ever greater quantities of information to users who have massively gone mobile. A recent demonstration carried out by the Institute of Electronics, Microelectronics and Nanotechnology's Com'Toniq project has set out the premises for upcoming terahertz communications and 5G networks.

Available wireless communications frequencies are reaching their saturation point, causing the search for new transmission windows to become a matter of urgency. Current wireless communications systems have a restricted capacity due to the fact that they use waves working in the gigahertz (Ghz) frequency range. Upgrading to the terahertz (THz) frequency range appears to be a viable solution to this problem. 

On 9 June 2015, the Institute of Electronics, Microelectronics and Nanotechnology (IEMN) and the company Tektronics reported having produced the world's first 0.4 Thz wireless data transmission using QAM-16 (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) coding. According to IEMN, the demonstration attained a successful transmission of 32 Gbit/s signals over a distance of 25m. IEMN’s feat lays the foundation for future THz communications compatible with 5G networks.

The Com'Toniq project (quasi-optic ultra-high speed photonics-based communications) has brought together specialists from the fields of lasers and opto-electronic components to create technology intended for terahertz generation and digital transmission systems. Com’Troniq’s primary goal is to create an ultra-high data rate wireless coherent transmission system, with at least 56 (2*28) Gbit/s capacity, using 280 GHz carrier signals. The target transmission distance is in the 100 m-1 km range, making use of a point-to-point (P2P) connection.

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