Långtgående datatransmission i närfältet med omfattande skiktning

The performance requirements on wireless communication systems are continuously growing. Emerging virtual reality applications need data transfer with immense bit rates (bit/s). The traditional way of increasing the bit rates is to use more frequency spectrum, but this resource is soon depleted. This project explores an alternative way: massive spatial layering.

This means transmitting tens or hundreds of parallel signals using the existing frequency bands. If these layers are distinguishable at the receiver, the bit rate grows proportionally. Conventional wireless systems, which operate in the far-field region, cannot distinguish so many layers.

This project analyzes communication systems that operate in the radiative near field region, where transmitted signals can be focused on tiny focal regions so that a practically sized user device can distinguish massive amounts of them. The near field is made far-reaching (above 1 km) by using millimeter frequencies and large antenna arrays.

The specific aims are to develop fundamental theory and models that cover practical conditions, optimize the antenna array geometries, characterize the physical shape of the signals and interference, and design efficient communication algorithms. The work will be carried out during 5-years at KTH by the applicant, one doctoral student, and three postdocs.

Mathematical and numerical methods from electromagnetic information theory, signal processing, optimization, and machine learning will be used.