Enabling extremely high data rates of the 6G era

Strategic Research Area 2

Devices and Circuit Technology

Under the direction of Professor Aarno Pärssinen, this strategic research area delves into the core of transceiver and antenna implementations that will enable the future of communication and sensing systems. The hardware capabilities, spanning from semiconductor technologies to materials, define the physical boundaries of the devices. Elements such as data rate, precision in localisation and sensing, and enhanced capacity are closely tied to the required bandwidth and, thus, the radio frequencies used in 6G.

The exploration extends to frequencies up to 300 GHz, or even above, as focal points for the 6G enablement. Experimental research on new and innovative solutions, ranging from components to hardware architectures, will address the core technological opportunities and limitations. A thorough consideration of the mix of various hardware technologies and their maturity is essential before standardising a new generation of communications with better hardware awareness.

Radio hardware

To complete theoretical concepts of future radio transceivers and system architectures derived from them, we need individual enablers to bring them into reality. These enablers range from new RF transceiver implementations to RF integrated circuits implementing key blocks like amplifiers, DSP processing of RF waveforms, antennas and other RF components, as well as packaging and materials in a wide range of frequency bands. Technological feasibility, adequate and sometimes superior performance and reconfiguration are core targets for all of these enablers in their specific domains.

Experiments and proofs of concept

Experimental research is a core part of RF and HW. Building the prototypes is not enough. Testing at mmW and THz frequencies provides new and sometimes unexpected challenges. Conductive testing is no longer possible in many cases, and over-the-air (OTA) measurements for prototyping are in the core. At frequencies above 100GHz, testing gets even more complex, and additional care and innovations are needed to test future 6G systems reliably.

Innovating extends from individual, microscopic components to complete radio systems and link-level testing. Therefore, new approaches that pursue reliable communications through highly parallel designs from the wireless path to hardware and software, including new fabrication technologies, need a lot of research as part of 6G development.

Devices and Circuit Technology

Publication Highlights

Z. Siddiqui et al.
Dual-Band Dual-Polarized Planar Antenna for 5G Millimeter-Wave Antenna-in-Package Applications

S. P. Singh, T. Rahkonen, M. E. Leinonen and A. Parssinen
Design Aspects of Single-Ended and Differential SiGe Low-Noise Amplifiers Operating Above fmax/2in Sub-THz/THz Frequencies

A. Sethi et al. 
Chip-to-Chip Interfaces for Large-Scale Highly Configurable mmWave Phased Arrays

R. Haataja, S. Myllymäki, O. Laitinen, H. Jantunen, H. Liimatainen
Controlling the cell and surface architecture of cellulose nanofiber/PVA/Ti3C2TX MXene hybrid cryogels for optimized permittivity and EMI shielding performance

K. Rasilainen, T. D. Phan, M. Berg, A. Pärssinen, and P. J. Soh
Hardware aspects of sub-THz antennas and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces for 6G communications

SEE THE ACTION

Sample projects

RF Sampo

Hexa-X

5G Champion