Thermodynamics-based Cognitive Demodulation for 'THz Torch' Wireless Communications Links.

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Electrical Engineering
• Communications Engineering

Background:

• The 'THz Torch' technology utilizes the thermal infrared spectrum for secure, short-distance, low data rate communication.
• Existing methods face limitations in detection sensitivity and asynchronous operation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the sensitivity and performance of 'THz Torch' wireless communication links.
• To introduce a novel thermodynamics-based approach for detecting non-stationary thermal radiation.

Main Methods:

• Employing cognitive demodulation for asynchronous operation by predicting thermal transients.
• Modulating thermal emitters beyond their thermal time constants to generate non-stationary radiation.
• Developing single-channel and 8-channel frequency-division multiplexed prototypes.

Main Results:

• Achieved a five-fold increase in the operational figure of merit (Range × Bit Rate).
• Demonstrated superior bit error rate performance compared to conventional threshold detection.
• Showcased enhanced range and bit rate in prototype demonstrations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed thermodynamics-based approach significantly improves 'THz Torch' communication performance.
• Cognitive demodulation enables practical, asynchronous operation for thermal communication.
• This work offers a paradigm shift for secure wireless communication and future applications.