Microwave plasmonic mixer in a transparent fibre-wireless link

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Communications
• Wireless Communications

Background:

• Increasing demand for high-bandwidth wireless applications necessitates exploring higher frequency bands like millimeter-wave and terahertz.
• Optical fibers traditionally transport data to wireless antennas, creating a need for seamless integration between optical and wireless domains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a direct wireless-to-optical receiver for transparent optical links.
• To overcome limitations in current wireless-to-optical conversion methods.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a plasmonic mixer for direct signal mapping.
• Experimental transmission of data at 60 GHz over wireless distances.
• Utilizing a CMOS-compatible plasmonic structure with significant field enhancement.

Main Results:

• Successful wireless-to-optical transmission of 20 Gbit/s over 1 m and 10 Gbit/s over 5 m at 60 GHz.
• Demonstrated a plasmonic mixer with built-in field enhancement up to 90,000x.
• Achieved ultra-compact and CMOS-compatible device integration.

Conclusions:

• The plasmonic mixer enables direct and efficient wireless-to-optical conversion.
• The technology is not limited by electronic speed, offering compatibility with future terahertz systems.
• This breakthrough facilitates transparent and flexible switching between optical and wireless communication domains.