100 Gbit/s THz Photonic Wireless Transmission in the 350-GHz Band With Extended Reach

Abstract

In this letter, we experimentally demonstrate terahertz (THz) photonic wireless transmission of high-speed quadrature-phase-shift-keying (QPSK) and 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM) signals in the 350-GHz band, with an effort to extend the wireless reach of ultrafast 100 Gbit/s. In the experiment, a narrowband unitraveling-carrier photodiode (UTC-PD) is used for heterodyne generation of THz communication signals, which is transparent to optical modulation formats. Experimental results show that 30 GBd/s QPSK (60 Gbit/s) and 25 GBd/s 16-QAM signals (100 Gbit/s) are successfully transmitted over a 350-GHz wireless link with an extended distance of 2 m. This enhancement is enabled by combining the techniques of employing cutting-edge narrowband UTC-PD as the photomixing THz emitter, spectrally efficient modulation format and advanced digital signal processing algorithms. The achievement makes 100 Gbit/s THz wireless communication systems promising for future smart wireless services.