Deliverables

Here the public deliverables of the project are presented, as they become available. [Note: the documents below are subject to change.] Please click on the topic to jump to the heading:

Overall system concept

Networking and mm-wave interface

RF front-end 300 GHz (including LO)

Propagation, antennas and sharing studies

Demonstration

Dissemination and exploitation

Project management


Overall system concept

D2.1 Requirements for B5G backhaul/fronthaul
The ThoR project targets wireless transport networks (assuming fixed services) exploiting terahertz frequency spectrum (252-325 GHz as a possible candidate band), which is expected to play a significant and necessary role in the next generation(s) of communication systems, 5G and beyond 5G. The performance requirements for such wireless transport networks (including backhaul and fronthaul links) are mainly determined and driven by the following domains which are discussed in this document:

  • Available frequency spectrum and its characteristics
  • End-user use cases and applications
  • Network architecture and deployment scenarios.

D2.2 Overall System Design
This document considers the overall system design, reviews the radio propagation characteristics of the 300 GHz spectrum, the assumptions and models available for the analysis of this frequency band and system design concepts. It concludes with the system specification which details the block diagram and interfaces for the system.  

D2.4 Scenarios for Demonstration and Simulation
In this document, six artificial scenarios are defined to cover various network deployments assuming different locations, density of existing base station, density of planned base station, deployed types and population flows. It concludes on data format for exchange of essential data for simulation and demonstration and the requirements for scenarios.

Networking and
mm-wave interface

D3.5 Testing Report of 60 GHz TRX Module
This document includes measurement results obtained with the 60 GHz ThoR module, which is to be employed in the TDD system. The measurement results include basic transmitter characteristics of the
module, such as transmit power, spectral mask, phase noise and EVN, receiver characteristics, such as receiver sensitivity, and transmitter and receiver characteristics, such as frame-error rate and TDD operation. Interoperability with a reference 60 GHz system is also reported.

D3.6 Testing Report of 70/80 GHz TRX Module
This document contains the testing results for the 70/80 GHz transceiver that is tuned to serve as the IF section for the 300 GHz link. The measurements are done on the individual transceiver level but focus on performance attributes that are essential for transceiver parallelisation and for the frequency band up/down conversion process. The individual transceiver performance in terms of throughput is measured in the various modulations at the digital network interface, providing net usable throughput figures per each modulation.

RF front-end 300 GHz
(including LO)

D4.1 Photonics LO Performance 
This document presents the RF performances of the photonic LO, developed for the ThoR project. The performances of this photonic LO has been designed according to the use of the photonic LO within the ThoR project where special specifications have to be fulfilled for output power (minimum required to drive the other parts of the demonstrator), phase noise (according to the MODEMS specifications).

D4.3 300 GHz Circuits Validation and Report 
This deliverable reports on the on-wafer measurement results of the 300 GHz solid-state circuits developed in WP4. The measured performance of multiplier and amplifier test circuits as well as the fully integrated 300 GHz front-end and high-power amplifier MMICs is discussed and evaluated. The functionality of the 300 GHz power amplifier circuits as well as the receiver and transmitter front-end MMICs is verified within the requirements for overall system implementation in the ThoR project, permitting the packaging into waveguide modules for system integration.

D4.4 Solid-state RF Front-End Test Validation 
This deliverable reports on the measurement and characterization results of the packaged 300 GHz front-end and power amplifier modules developed in ThoR. The modules are based on the InGaAs mHEMT MMICs reported in D4.3 (see above) and will be used in the upcoming live demos in the ThoR project. The functionality of the 300 GHz power amplifier as well as the receiver and transmitter front-end modules is verified within the requirements for overall system implementation in the ThoR project.

D4.5 TWTA Amplifier
This deliverable describes the results from a travelling wave tube amplifier (TWTA) prototype. A TWTA is an RF power amplifier used in the final stages of the radio transmitter. To achieve the required ThoR specifications, especially the gain characteristics around the central frequency of 290 GHz, improvements to the TWT device have been implemented and evaluated, including improved electron trajectory distribution, reduction of manufacturing errors and improvement of surface roughness of the amplification element.

D4.6 Full RF-Front End Test (ready for live tests)
The main focus of D4.6 is to assemble the full RF Front-end developed in the ThoR project. This RF Front-end is composed of three main elements:
– Photonics-based local oscillator, described in D4.1
– RF modules for up/down conversion, and medium power amplification, described in D4.2, D4.3 + D4.4.
– Travelling-wave tube amplifier, to increase the range of the system operating in the 300 GHz band, reported in the D4.5.

D4.7 Final Report of the RF Front-End Developments
In this deliverable, the description of the final front-end assembly is done, i.e. the assembly of the two pairs of Tx/Rx to be used in duplex links at 300 GHz. The system was setup and different tests carried out in Lille, before the use in the demos stages (Berlin, at Deutsche Telekom and Braunschweig,
TUBS). We also report on the verification of the FDD and TDD hardware to the final RF Front-end, as a milestone prior to the final demo stages.

 

Propagation, antennas
and sharing studies

D5.1 Initial results from sharing studies
This deliverable provides the results of simulations which show that the frequency bands 275-296 GHz, 306-313 GHz, 319-333 GHz and 354-450 GHz could be identified for fixed services
(future wireless front- and backhaul) without harmful interfering with the passive Earth exploration satellite service (EESS).

D5.2 Preliminary Antenna, Propagation and Channel Models 
This deliverable provides the results of preliminary antenna, propagation and channel models. It is important to build the antenna and propagation models of THz wireless communications in order to evaluate the interference between other services, and to estimate the quality of THz wireless communications.

D5.3 Analysis of the Consequences of the Results of WRC 2019
This deliverable describes the outcome of World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) 2019 with reference to terahertz (THz) communications and makes an assessment of the results both in general and specifically for the ThoR project. WRC 2019 has included a new footnote to the radio regulations, which describes the conditions for the use of the spectrum between 275 and 450 GHz by land mobile and fixed service. Totally, 160 GHz of spectrum are now available for THz communications, where no specific conditions are necessary to protect Earth exploration-satellite service (EESS), which provides a sound basis for the future implementation of THz communications.

D5.4 Planning Rules for THz Backhaul/Fronthaul Links
This deliverable covers the general planning rules regarding to wireless backhaul/fronthaul links. Technical requirements and interference of such links are identified and various methodologies of planning wireless backhaul/fronthaul network are introduced and applied in all ThoR scenarios. Ray-tracing based system level simulations are conducted to understand the performance of each planned network regarding to weather conditions and the size of bandwidths. Based on the evaluation of simulation results, the planning guidelines of each scenario are suggested.

D5.5 Final Report on Antenna, Propagation and Channel Models
This deliverable provides the final results of investigations on antenna, propagation and channel models. The antenna patterns of a low-gain antenna and a high-gain antenna were measured using a vector network analyser (VNA) and electro-optic (EO) sensor. The team also investigated the near-field to far-field transformation, the propagation model including the effects of wind and diffraction. In addition, the complex dielectric constant of building materials, such as glass, concrete, etc. were measured using VNA and THz-time-domain spectroscopy (TDS).

Demonstration

D6.1 Initial Hardware Demonstration DEMO-1
This deliverable provides the results of the DEMO-1 proof of concept for the envisaged wireless THz system architecture and ultra-high data-rate transmission needed for beyond 5G networks. All DEMO-1 objectives and expectations were reached, including the successful validation of the wireless THz system architecture, the concept of the superheterodyne approach and bridging a 10 m THz link over the air supporting the above-mentioned items.

D6.2 Software Simulation Concept
This deliverable provides the concept of the software simulations on both the system level as well as the link level that will be used in the ThoR project in order to analyse the performance of the resulted wireless backhaul links at the 300 GHz frequency spectrum range. The software simulator (SiMoNe) is described and the principle of the prototypical software simulation flow for the ThoR project is explained and provisional results of the system/link level simulation are provided. 

D6.4 Laboratory Transmission Experiments DEMO-2
This deliverable summarizes the results of the laboratory-based hardware demonstrations DEMO2-1 and DEMO2-2. In DEMO2-1, the successful operation of the developed H-band Tx and Rx modules has been demonstrated applying CW and modulated signals. Additionally, the
successful operation together with SSPA and SIKLU modem hardware was successfully verified in short-range wireless simplex and full-duplex scenarios. 

D6.5 Software Simulation Results (DEMO-4)
This deliverable provides the simulation results of the software demonstration (DEMO-4) with respect to the link-level simulation (LLS), as well as system-level simulation (SLS). Through DEMO-4, the scalability of IEEE Standard 802.15.3d will be proven by taking into account the experimentally obtained characteristics of the wireless communication system including radio frequency (RF) impairments.

D6.6 Live Demonstration DEMO-3
The ThoR final workshop and demo took place on 30-Jun-2022 and is described in a video which is linked in this deliverable.

Dissemination and exploitation

D7.1 Project start press release
A press release to announce the start of the ThoR project was approved by the consortium and issued on MON 29-Oct-2018 in both the EU (in English and German) and Japan (in Japanese and English).

D7.2 M3 Dissemination Material
A selection of dissemination material has been prepared: website, presentation, business cards and fact sheet. All this material is available for public use, and the presentation and fact sheet may be downloaded from the website.

D7.3 M6 Dissemination Material
This deliverable documents the dissemination material produced for the 6M point in the project: the first project newsletter (issued 21-Dec-2018) and a video showing the lab set-up for ThoR DEMO-1 which demonstrated the principle of a superheterodyne wireless link at 300 GHz.

D7.4 Report on Standards Activity 12M
This deliverable provides the report of standards activity for THz wireless communications at various international standardization fora including: German National Preparatory Group “AK1-WRC19, IEEE 802.15, AWG-24, IEC Technical committee 103 (TC103), ETSI ISGmWT, TSC  and NGMN.

D7.5 18M Dissemination and Exploitation Activity Report
This document summarises the dissemination activities performed in ThoR in the first half of the project (i.e. M1 to M18). This activity has been broad and varied and is outlined in detail in this document.

D7.6 Mid-term ThoR Workshop (Japan)
The first ThoR workshop was organised and hosted by Waseda University on FRI 20-Sep-2019. The agenda included three invited keynotes, presentations from the ThoR partners and a poster session. In addition, there was a small exhibition during the lunch and coffee breaks. Over seventy attendees were present, and the event was very well received. Based on this success, a follow-up event in Japan is under discussion in addition to the EU workshop planned at the end of the project.

D7.7 Reports on Standards Activity 24M
This deliverable provides the report of standards activity for THz wireless communications. The international standardization contributions input into international standardization conference from ThoR during this period were:  IEEE 802 and AWG-24.

D7.8 Final ThoR Workshop (Europe)
The ThoR final workshop and demo was held in person (and also online) on 29-30 Jun-2022 hosted by EU Coordinator, TU Braunschweig and co-located with the German national project DFG FOR 2863 Meteracom workshop. In addition to the presentations and networking poster sessions, in person visitors were able to see a software demo and the ThoR hardware demo: a 2×20 Gbps bidirectional 300 GHz THz 160 m link complying with standard IEEE 802.15.3d, which defines the new state-of-the-art.

7.9 Project Close Press Release
Dual press release in English (issued by TU Braunschweig, 27-Jun-2022) and Japanese (issued by Waseda University on 29-Jun-2022).

D7.10 Summary of Project Newsletters
Six newsletters have been issued during the ThoR project. This document summarises the topics covered in each of the newsletters. The newsletters were circulated to the ThoR Community mailing list and are available from the website.

D7.12 Dissemination Kit
The ThoR project finished at the end of Jun-2022. Over its 48 months, the project has had a major impact on the development of THz components, hardware and software and demonstrated the potential for THz communications. This document gives a snapshot of the project achievements and outlines sources with more detailed material available in the public domain.

D7.13 Report on Standards Activity
This deliverable provides the report of ThoR’s standards activity for THz wireless communications between Jul-2020 and Jul-2022. The international standardization contributions in this period has focussed on input to into IEEE 802 (6 contributions) and the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Wireless Group (4 contributions).

D7.14 Final Dissemination and Exploitation Activity Report
This document summarises the dissemination and exploitation activities during the ThoR project. Although the COVID-19 restrictions had some impact on the events between approximately M21-36, the ThoR dissemination and communication activity has been broad and varied.

Project management

D1.3 Initial Gendered Innovation Check List
This document assesses the ThoR project against the Gendered Innovation check list for engineering referred to from the EC website.

D1.4 Initial Data Management Plan
This document summarises the Initial Data Management Plan (DMP) used in the ThoR project. It will be updated throughout the project.

D1.5 Mid-term Data Management Plan
This document summarises the data management plan being utilised in the ThoR project, which is based mainly on existing procedures at each partner, and the project management manual (D1.1). [The automated tool DMP Online was used to produce this document.]

D1.6 Mid-term Gendered Innovation Checklist
This document assesses the ThoR project against the Gendered Innovation check list for engineering referred to from the EC website. It has been reviewed at this mid-term stage in the project, and no changes are considered necessary.

D1.7 Final Data Management Plan
This document summarises the data management plan which was utilised in the ThoR project, which was based mainly on existing procedures at each partner, and the project management manual (D1.1). This document is based on the mid-term DMP, and has been reviewed and updated by all partners.

D1.8 Final Gendered Innovation Checklist
This document assesses the ThoR project against the Gendered Innovation check list for engineering referred to from the EC website.