256GS/s arbitrary waveform generator

• Subject Area: Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
• Term: Funded in 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 544829238

The chair "Mixed Signal Circuit Design" (MSC) at the Technical University of Berlin, headed by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Friedel Gerfers, develops circuits and systems for wired and wireless high-speed communication as well as automotive applications with its "Wireline Communication Systems" and "Wireless Communication Systems" research groups. Wired systems address transceivers with data rates of up to 448 Gbit/s, as well as sub-components, such as VCSELs and electro-optical drivers, with symbol rates of 150 Gbaud and more, to advance the development of current and future transmission technologies. Wireless frequency ranges up to the D-band (up to 170 GHz) are used for the communication systems to be developed with data rates of over 100 Gbit/s, in particular for the next generation of mobile communications "6G". To address this research and characterize it with high precision, this application is for a 256GS/s arbitrary waveform generator with 5Vppd amplitude and 80GHz bandwidth for high-precision broadband signal analysis. The generator has two main applications for the department: 1. modulation source in the research-specific "measuring station for broadband vector signal analysis of modulated signals in the D-band (110-170 GHz)"; 2. independent signal source for generating arbitrary, system-adapted signals, in particular with the highest sampling rate, analog bandwidth and signal amplitude. The "Measuring station for broadband vector signal analysis of modulated signals in the D-band (110-170GHz)" is required for the development of future-oriented wireless transmission technologies with a combination of ultra-high bandwidth, complex modulation methods (from 256QAM and more) and high signal frequencies, e.g. for the "6G" mobile communications standard. For this purpose, the 256GS/s arbitrary generator is used in particular to generate signals for constellation diagrams and analyze their characteristic values, such as EVM (error vector magnitude). With the exception of the 256GS/s arbitrary generator, all components of the measuring station are already available at the MSC department, partly funded by previous applications. The use of the 256GS/s arbitrary generator as an independent signal source serve, among other things, the development of transceivers and sub-components, such as amplifiers and data converters, of cable or fiber-bound communication systems, with the aim of more energy-efficient and future-proof technologies for data centers. For this purpose, the arbitrary generator generates modulated signals with channel-compensating pre-distortion, which are analyzed as eye diagrams (with eye opening, bit error rate, inter-symbol interference, noise and jitter) using a 100 GHz real-time oscilloscope (available). In summary, this application presents the current need for the procurement and performance class of a 256GS/s arbitrary generator for the high-precision broadband analysis of future mobile and fiber-bound systems.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: 256GS/s Arbiträrgenerator
• Instrumentation Group: 6300 Meßgeneratoren, Meßsender, Frequenznormale
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Berlin
• Leader: Professor Dr.-Ing. Friedel Gerfers