The 6G, expected in 2030-2035, will have to use new frequency bands (300 GHz) for the next fixed broadband communications between antennas. The European THOR project has demonstrated this type of link, in a bidirectional way.

The 6G, expected by 2030-2035, will have to use new frequency bands (300 GHz) and integrate energy consumption issues. In the framework of the European H2020 THOR project, in partnership with our Japanese colleagues, the demonstration of the 1st bi-directional link in frequency bands for 6G takes place in Brauschweig, Germany, on June 28, 2022.
On the rooftops of Braunschweig, the transmission takes place live and connects for the first time a real network through this architecture, over a distance of 160 m.

The system integrates III-V, silicon and photonic technologies for this « super-heterodyne » architecture to convert signals from E-band MODEMS (71-76 and 81-86 GHz) to THz band.

Initially using 4 THz antennas, a 650 m transmission was then realized in France by the Lille partners, using a THz duplexing system developed in Lille.

Duplex THz transmission on 650 m

These demonstrations include various contributions from the THOR project partners. The system has been, among others, tested and validated in the laboratories of the Lille campus: CNRS (IEMN & PhLAM), University of Lille.