Optical Interconnects for Smart Antenna Driver-Receiver-Switch System for Wireless Communication

Abstract : The scope of this work is to study the possibility of utilizing devices operating at 0.3THz-30THz for telecommunication applications in general and for interconnects within the box, in particular, for example for Smart Antenna Driver-Receiver-Switch System for Wireless Communication. Our approach in the period covered by this report has been to organize brainstorming sessions within our group to develop potential application areas that could take advantage of interfacing optical interconnects with THz devices within the context of the scope of the program. To this date we have come up with two novel concepts: one to utilize 30THz optical sources for point to point free space optical communication and the second to use two-coupled cavity VCSEL structure for THz modulation. We have also pursued the analysis of a Smart antenna driver for wireless communication to derive the potential benefits of optical interconnects for this application.