Wide Signal Bandwidth Research Articles

An improved digital predistortion scheme for nonlinear transmitters with limited bandwidth

In modern wireless communication systems, wide signal bandwidth is the most straightforward approach to accommodate high data rates. Wide signal bandwidth, on the other hand, introduces severe challenges to the power amplifier (PA) and digital predistortion (DPD) design in both performance and cost. Conventional DPD systems usually ignore the impact of the transmit low-pass filter (Tx LPF) bandwidth and assume the transmit bandwidth is sufficiently large. In wideband signal transmissions, the bandwidth of Tx LPF can become the system bottleneck, limiting DPDs compensation effects. Existing DPD studies mostly investigate the DPD with reduced feedback bandwidth. In this paper, we study the impact of Tx LPF bandwidth on the DPD performance. A full-band error minimization DPD based on direct learning structure is proposed. The DPD coefficients are estimated by minimizing the full-band error between the input signal and PA output signal in the frequency domain. Furthermore, we propose a weighted DPD with improved performance by introducing a weighting diagonal matrix to the error function. Compared to existing solutions, the weighted DPD achieves a good trade-off between the in-band distortion compensation and out-of-band spectral regrowth suppression. Simulations and experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed DPD schemes.

Thermally Deposited Pt/InSe/Nb2O5/Ag Stacked Layers Designed as Negative Capacitance Sources and Antennas for 5 G/6 G Networks

Herein, Pt/InSe/Nb2O5/Ag (ISNO) stacked layers are designed as multichannel 5 G/6 G network antennas and negative capacitance (NC) sources. The devices are fabricated using thermal deposition technique to coat Pt/InSe thin films with transparent Nb2O5 dielectric windows. While Pt thin films induce the crystallinity of InSe, the Nb2O5 layer remains amorphous. The impedance spectroscopy studies show that the Pt/InSe/Ag (IS) and (ISNO) antenna channels exhibit resonance–antiresonance peaks at driving frequencies of ≈0.4 and ≈1.1 GHz, respectively. Both the IS and ISNO antenna channels exhibit the NC effect in a wide range of frequency domain. In addition, ISNO antennas show signal transmission above 1.70 GHz with a return loss value of 28 dB and voltage standing wave ratios of 1.20. The range of frequencies over which the antenna performs well (bandwidth) extends from 1.54 to 1.80 GHz. Practical tests of one‐port and two‐port reflection/transmission using a network analyzer operative in the frequency domain of 0.01–6.0 GHz highlight the system's differing isolation and coupling characteristics at 2.43 and 6.0 GHz, respectively. The high levels of isolation at 6.0 GHz assure the suitability of the system for applications requiring minimal reverse transmission and high signal integrity. The NC effect, wide bandwidth, and high signal isolation characteristics are preferable in electronics and 5 G/6 G networks.

Efficient Neural Networks on the Edge with FPGAs by Optimizing an Adaptive Activation Function.

The implementation of neural networks (NNs) on edge devices enables local processing of wireless data, but faces challenges such as high computational complexity and memory requirements when deep neural networks (DNNs) are used. Shallow neural networks customized for specific problems are more efficient, requiring fewer resources and resulting in a lower latency solution. An additional benefit of the smaller network size is that it is suitable for real-time processing on edge devices. The main concern with shallow neural networks is their accuracy performance compared to DNNs. In this paper, we demonstrate that a customized adaptive activation function (AAF) can meet the accuracy of a DNN. We designed an efficient FPGA implementation for a customized segmented spline curve neural network (SSCNN) structure to replace the traditional fixed activation function with an AAF. We compared our SSCNN with different neural network structures such as a real-valued time-delay neural network (RVTDNN), an augmented real-valued time-delay neural network (ARVTDNN), and deep neural networks with different parameters. Our proposed SSCNN implementation uses 40% fewer hardware resources and no block RAMs compared to the DNN with similar accuracy. We experimentally validated this computationally efficient and memory-saving FPGA implementation of the SSCNN for digital predistortion of radio-frequency (RF) power amplifiers using the AMD/Xilinx RFSoC ZCU111. The implemented solution uses less than 3% of the available resources. The solution also enables an increase of the clock frequency to 221.12 MHz, allowing the transmission of wide bandwidth signals.

Wide Bandwidth Signals for Joint Time–Frequency Characterization of Nonlinear and Time-Varying Circuits

Wide Bandwidth Signals for Joint Time–Frequency Characterization of Nonlinear and Time-Varying Circuits

A Low-Phase-Noise RF Up/Down-Converter for Cost-Effective 5G Millimeter-Wave Test Solutions

The increasing demand for millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies with wider signal bandwidths, such as 5G NR, requires large investments on test equipment. This work presents a 5G mmWave up/down-converter with a 40 GHz LO, fabricated in custom PCBs with off-the-shelf components. The mmWave converter has broad IF and RF bandwidths of 1∼5 GHz and 21∼45 GHz, and the built-in LO generates 20∼29.5 GHz and 33.5∼40 GHz of output. To achieve high linearity of the converter simultaneously, the LO must produce low-phase-noise and be capable of high harmonics/spur rejection, and design techniques related to these features are demonstrated. Additionally, a reconfigurable IF amplifier for bi-directional conversion is included and demonstrates low gain variation to maintain the linearity of the wideband modulation signals. The final designed converter is tested with 5G OFDM 64-QAM 100 MHz 1-CC (4-CC) signals and shows RF/IF output power of -3/8 dBm with a linear range of 35 (30)/38 (33) dB at an EVM of25 dB.

Enhancing signal quality in dense wavelength division multiplexed systems by eliminating crosstalk with cascaded optical bandpass filters

Non-orthogonal wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) channels are crucial in achieving significantly higher capacity and spectral efficiency than conventional schemes. Additionally, conventional schemes face challenges in electrical processing of wide-bandwidth signals. To suppress crosstalk in non-orthogonal WDM channels, the use of cascaded bandpass filters with suitable transmissivity and bandwidth is investigated for effective channel separation of large-capacity and multiplexed optical signals. This study employs the bandwidth ratio as a parameter, which is defined as the ratio of the channel spacing to the signal bandwidth, to quantify the extent of signal overlapping, and uses optical bandpass filters to filter non-orthogonal signals with a bandwidth ratio ranging from 1.0 to 0.75. The non-overlapping portion is set as the transmission bandwidth of the filter, and the crosstalk is maximally reduced with two-stage filters using Nyquist, super Gaussian, and Butterworth shaped filters. According to the analysis, the combination of Gaussian N = 1 and Gaussian N = 5 exhibits the lowest error vector magnitude (EVM) performance within a bandwidth ratio of 0.8 to 1.0. Simulations showed that a two-stage OBPF with a combination of Gaussian N = 1 and Gaussian N = 5 provides the best EVM performance at a bandwidth ratio between 0.85 to 1.0 within the combination of filter shapes and their orders we used. Additionally, the study includes an analytical investigation of the impact of amplified-spontaneous-emission noise associated with the Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) and frequency resolution tolerance of the LCOS filter. The results demonstrate that cascaded EDFAs can be achieved down to OSNR of 10 dB at a minimum resolution of 4 GHz. Finally, the optimal filter shape is analyzed for different bandwidth ratios. The investigation shows that the optimal filter shape is independent of the function used and remains consistent across all bandwidth ratios. The tolerance of the filter is primarily affected by the −0.5 dB transmittance bandwidth between subchannels, which varies depending on the bandwidth ratio. Furthermore, a high tolerance is observed in the −20 dB transmittance bandwidth.

A Multi-Correlation Peak Phase Deblurring Algorithm for BeiDou B1C Signals in Urban Environments

With the widespread global application of BeiDou navigation, BeiDou B1C signaling based on Quadrature Multiplexed Binary Offset Carrier (QMBOC) modulation is expected to be extensively used in urban environments due to its wider signal bandwidth, smaller code pseudorange measurement errors, and stronger multipath capabilities. Despite offering higher positioning accuracy and secondary modulation characteristics of the BeiDou, B1C signals introduce the challenge of multiple peaks in the autocorrelation function. This leads to phase ambiguity during signal acquisition and tracking, resulting in positioning deviations of tens or even hundreds of meters. In urban environments, such deviations give rise to significant practical application issues. To address this problem, we have designed a multi-loop structure for the synchronous tracking of B1C signals and proposed a multi-peak phase-deblurring algorithm specifically tailored for the BeiDou B1C signal in urban environments. This algorithm considers the coupling relationship between the code and the carrier loops, and by matching the structural design of multiple loops, it achieves a precise and unambiguous phase estimation of the pseudocode, enabling the stable tracking of the entire loop for the BeiDou B1C signal. Simulation and actual testing demonstrate that the algorithm exhibits an error less than 0.03 for chip intervals when the signal-to-noise ratio is greater than −20 dB. Additionally, the accuracy can be improved by adjusting the set conditions, making it suitable for urban environments.

Multiple Algebraic Function Nonlinear Systems

Abstract In order to obtain a more complex dynamic behaviour for a nonlinear system several methods were used, including higher order design, system parameters variation and connecting analogue and discrete subsystems. The present paper analyses an approach to generate wide bandwidth signals by connecting three elementary algebraic building blocks to obtain a more complex non-linear function to be included in the analogue dynamic system. The resulting non-linear system attractor is presented, its Poincare section is analysed and statistical numerical simulations results are shown to highlight the possible application as noise generator.

A 28 GHz fully integrated GaN enhanced single‐sideband time‐modulated MMIC for phased array system

AbstractThis paper presents a 28 GHz GaN enhanced single‐sideband time‐modulated phased array (ESTMPA), based on a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC), including both a time‐modulated circuit and an RF front‐end module (FEM). The time‐modulated circuit mainly consists of a numerically controlled attenuator to balance the amplitude, compact phase shifters to generate balanced signals, a reconfigurable power divider, and a quadrature power divider. The FEM mainly consists of a low noise amplifier and a power amplifier, featuring codesign of input/output networks. Based on the in‐phase/quadrature (I/Q) composite modulation technique, a stepped modulation waveform, realized by the time‐modulated circuit, is used to enable a weighted array of phases. This helps generate a scanned beam at the first positive sideband and eliminate the undesired sidebands. The final MMIC‐based four‐element ESTMPA shows a relative suppression level of −16 dB at the positive fifth sideband and −13 dB at the zeroth sideband, and a much higher level at the other undesired sidebands. As a result, a wider signal bandwidth and a higher harmonic efficiency are achieved. In addition, the ESTMPA shows a beam sweeping angle from −30° to 30° in far‐field measurement.

Optical Filter-Less Photonic FMCW Radar for Multi-Target Detection

Frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar monitors the instantaneous frequency difference between the transmitted and the received signal to determine the time of flight which is proportional to the range. Modern radar system necessitates multispectral sensing to enhance detection capability and anti-jamming efficacy that encourages the evolution from conventional electrical solutions to photonics-enhanced solutions. Photonics offers wide-bandwidth signal generation, parallel processing, and low propagation distortion. Most photonic-assisted radar models are based on optical filters to select the reference and reflected waveform to mix at the photodiode, which limits the system functionality due to the inability to operate in different frequency bands. We propose an optical filter-less photonics-based de-chirp processing of frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar waveforms that overcomes the issue of carrier frequency tunability and agility. A theoretical analysis is performed, followed by simulation, and validated by experiment. The proposed model is experimentally tested for detecting targets at different distances ranging from 150 cm to 210 cm. The system is emulated to detect multiple targets (up to four), showing a range resolution of <15 cm, and signal processing enables the estimation of the widths of different sizes of the targets.

METHODS FOR MEASURING RELATIVE NOISE INTENSITY (RIN) OF LASER RADIATION

Over the past decades, in the field of ultra-wideband receiving and transmitting systems, there has been a process of replacing “electronic” systems with “photonic” ones. This transition is primarily due to the fact that the photon, by its nature, has no charge and mass, unlike electrons. As a result, photonic systems are not affected by electromagnetic fields and also have a wider signal bandwidth. In modern fiber optic technologies, the requirements for optical transmitters and lasers are constantly increasing, since they are one of the main components of the fiber optic communication system. The signal-to-noise ratio in optical communication lines depends significantly on the instability of laser radiation power. In this regard, it is necessary to know the features and characteristics of this instability. The results of a study of the relative noise intensity of laser radiation for an optical signal transmission system are presented. An analysis of typical methods for measuring RIN was carried out by conducting a series of measurements of the parameters of the radio over fiber (ROF) transceiver optical system. Based on a comparison of the results of various methods for measuring RIN, it is shown that the most effective measurement method in laboratory conditions is a method based on subtracting noise of different origins from the total value.

Detection of Extremely Weak and Wideband Bio-Magnetic Signals in Non-Shielded Environments Using Passive Coil Sensors

We report a coil-based passive sensing system and associated Digital Signal Processing (DSP) capable of detecting extremely weak and wideband bio-magnetic signals without the need for shielding. Our previous work showed potential in this direction but was limited to detecting magnetocardiography (MCG) signals that are the strongest emanated by the human body as well as narrowband. In a major step forward, we advance our DSP with notch and Empirical Mode Decomposition filters, in addition to bandpass filtering and averaging utilized in the past and refine our coil design. We characterize the system's noise performance, analyze effectiveness of the DSP methods, and validate performance <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">in vitro</i> . The proposed system considerably outperforms our previous design: noise levels at 10 Hz and 100 Hz are reduced by ∼46% and ∼92%, respectively, while detection sensitivity is improved by ∼94% across a ∼3333% wider signal bandwidth. That is, signals as low as magnetomyography (MMG) and evoked Compound Action Potentials (eCAP) and of frequency range comparable to magnetoneurography (MNG) can now be retrieved passively, in non-shielded environments. As a proof-of-concept, we utilize a single sensor and 24 minutes of recording; however, these parameters are scalable, as is the strength and frequency range of detectable bio-magnetic signals. To this end, we include discussions on how the hardware and DSP components can be parameterized and adjusted to fit diverse clinical needs. The proposed system can empower seamless detection of MCG, MMG, eCAP, and MNG, among others, opening unexplored opportunities for the future of medical diagnostics, monitoring, and treatment.

A GNSS meta-signal SAGE-based multipath-mitigating loop design

A major challenge suffered by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers is the multipath interference, which results in serious tracking performance degradation and increased positioning errors. Growing evidence suggests that wide-bandwidth signals and multi-antenna technology are set to become two vital factors to improve the GNSS multipath mitigation, leading to the concept of meta-GNSS signal and multi-dimensional processing. To estimate the time delay of line-of-sight (LOS) ray in a multipath environment, we propose a meta-signal Space Alternating Generalized Expectation (SAGE) based locked loop (SAGELL) design, which exploits the high-resolution of the meta-signal together with the characteristics from spatial and temporal domains. The SAGELL design comprises two main setups: the SAGE-based discriminator and combinational loops. Benefiting from the multi-dimensional processing and meta-signal bandwidth, the SAGE-based discriminator first estimates the LOS ray and the multipath rays in single side-band components and achieves the global estimates of the dual side-band components coherently. Aiming to accurately track each ray of the meta-signal, we further close the SAGELL via angle, code phase, and carrier phase locked loops to filter and predict the estimates. The proposed GNSS meta-signal multipath-mitigating loop design allows for GNSS high-precision discrimination and tracking in multipath scenarios, even in the presence of highly correlated rays, as confirmed by the numerical results.

Space-Based Sub-THz ISAR for Space Situational Awareness - Laboratory Validation

The advantages of sub-terahertz technology (sub-THz, 200–700 GHz) have already been advanced for imaging and recognition of a space object's state from a space-based sensor using inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR). The technology benefits from wide absolute signal bandwidths, giving high range resolution and from enhanced sensitivity to surface texture. An experimental validation of such a system in controlled laboratory conditions is presented. Possible image formation methods are proposed and evaluated experimentally. Images of real parts of satellites have been produced at sub-THz frequencies and compared to lower frequency images. Other results include sub-THz bistatic ISAR, and sub-THz cross-polarized images which highlight the scattering from rough surfaces while attenuating the very bright scatterers seen from conventional monostatic images.

Energy Efficient Optimum Sampling Rate for Analogue Signals with Extremely Wide Bandwidth using Compressive Sensing

The natural signals are mostly analogue in nature, but because of the benefits of digital processing of these signals: flexibility, accuracy, storage and low cost; processing these signals digitally is often preferred. But the existing analogues to digital converters are efficient in processing signals with small to medium bandwidths, but inefficient for signals with large bandwidths. The real-time processing of these signals with large bandwidths are done analogically or optically at the cost of the aforementioned advantages of digital processing of these signals. This paper is aimed at solving the real-time challenge of processing these extremely wide bandwidth signals digitally using a compressive sensing (CS) algorithm, with specific detail on the ways the application of CS will enhance the energy efficiency of wireless communication devices. Consequently, determine the throughput at which the use of CS is energy efficient for wireless devices using energy-efficient compressive sensing throughput (EECST) model. The simulation results show that the throughput requirements for introducing CS in any machine to machine (M2M) / internet of things (IoT) communication application to be energy efficient are minimum of 54bits per second and 317 bits per second when the required number of clock cycles for performing various device applications is 20,000 and 50000 respectively.

Optimization of Pico-eNB Tx Power and the Effects of Picocell Range Expansion in Multiband HetNet

The use of heterogeneous networks (HetNets) that combine macrocells and picocells in the same coverage is effective in increasing system capacity and improving user throughput. The use of high carrier frequency bands is also expected to help achieving higher data rates because it promises vast amounts of signal bandwidth. Therefore, multiband HetNets with picocells operating at high carrier frequency bands have attracted significant attention with the aim of increasing system capacity and achieving a high user throughput in fifth-generation mobile systems and beyond. In HetNet deployments, a picocell range expansion (CRE) technique that virtually expands the picocell coverage is well known to allow more user equipment (UE) to access the picocell providing a fixed cell selection offset (CSO) for all UE. Thus far, there has not been sufficient research on optimizing the transmission (Tx) power of pico-evolved node Bs (eNBs) operating at high carrier frequency bands in multiband HetNets. In addition, the effects of CRE in multiband HetNets have not been clarified. In this paper, we first investigated the optimal Tx power of pico-eNB in a multiband HetNet combining macrocells operating at 2 GHz and picocells operating at 4.5 GHz band with a wider signal bandwidth using system-level computer simulations. Then, from the user throughput perspective, we investigated the effects of CRE providing a positive CSO for UE using two pico-eNB Tx powers close to the optimal value. Using these results, we discussed how to choose the pico-eNB Tx power when CRE was activated and validated the design method for a multiband HetNet.

A Single-Sideband Time-Modulated Phased Array With Low Sideband Level Suitable for Wide-Bandwidth Signals

Single-sideband time-modulated phased arrays (STMPAs) are able to generate a scanned beam at the first sideband while suppressing undesired sidebands. In this article, an STMPA with very low sideband level (SBL) suitable for wide-bandwidth signals is proposed. The design utilizes time-modulated pulses with stepped waveforms, which are realized by digital attenuators. This provides more degrees of freedom to improve the performance of STMPAs compared with previous techniques. Optimization of waveforms to achieve low SBLs as a function of the number of steps is discussed. This optimization is subject to some practical restrictions stemming from the characteristics and limitations of digital attenuators. Compared with previous STMPAs designed to eliminate undesired sidebands, the proposed design results in very low SBLs while reducing the impact of aliasing for wideband signals. Quantitative analysis of hardware complexity and aliasing effects is presented to demonstrate it. To validate the analysis presented, STMPAs with four-step and eight-step waveforms were designed and fabricated. Their measured SBLs are −28.72 and −33.57 dB, respectively. Measured frequency spectrum, waveform of modulating pulse, and radiation pattern of scanned beams are all presented.

800-MHz Bandwidth Signal Transmission with Radio over Multi-Mode-Fiber for Cascaded IFoF-Based C-RAN Mobile Fronthaul

Millimeter-wave band signals have the advantage of a high capacity and have been used in fifth-generation (5G) mobile services. An analog radio over multi-mode fiber (A-RoMMF) employing a directly modulated vertical cavity surface emitting laser is a promising technology for relaying millimeter-wave band signals to its dead area because of the advantages of low latency, low cost, and low power consumption. One of the applications of A-RoMMF is a cascaded intermediate-frequency-over-fiber (IFoF)-based centralized radio access network (C-RAN) mobile fronthaul (MFH) system. We conducted two studies on A-RoMMF to extend the transmission distance and bandwidth to adapt it to the system. First, we evaluated the effect of employing a single-mode vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) and a multi-mode VCSEL on the transmission characteristics of A-RoMMF. Next, we evaluated the transmission characteristics of A-RoMMF using a cost-efficient bias-tee consisting of an electrical circuit pattern, the frequency response of which has a slope inverse to that of A-RoMMF at the 28-GHz band, to suppress the channel power difference of two component carrier signals for a wide-bandwidth signal transmission. We conducted these evaluations using A-RoMMF itself and herein demonstrate its adaption to a cascaded IFoF-based C-RAN MFH system at the 28-GHz band. When employing it with a 200-m long multi-mode fiber, the system achieves 400-MHz/CC and two component carrier signal transmissions.

An Improved Imaging Algorithm for Multi-Receiver SAS System with Wide-Bandwidth Signal

When the multi-receiver synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) works with a wide-bandwidth signal, the performance of the range-Doppler (R-D) algorithm is seriously affected by two approximation errors, i.e., point target reference spectrum (PTRS) error and residual quadratic coupling error. The former is generated by approximating the PTRS with the second-order term in terms of the instantaneous frequency. The latter is caused by neglecting the cross-track variance of secondary range compression (SRC). In order to improve the imaging performance in the case of wide-bandwidth signals, an improved R-D algorithm is proposed in this paper. With our method, the multi-receiver SAS data is first preprocessed based on the phase center approximation (PCA) method, and the monostatic equivalent data are obtained. Then several sub-blocks are generated in the cross-track dimension. Within each sub-block, the PTRS error and residual quadratic coupling error based on the center range of each sub-block are compensated. After this operation, all sub-blocks are coerced into a new signal, which is free of both approximation errors. Consequently, this new data is used as the input of the traditional R-D algorithm. The processing results of simulated data and real data show that the traditional R-D algorithm is just suitable for an SAS system with a narrow-bandwidth signal. The imaging performance would be seriously distorted when it is applied to an SAS system with a wide-bandwidth signal. Based on the presented method, the SAS data in both cases can be well processed. The imaging performance of the presented method is nearly identical to that of the back-projection (BP) algorithm.

Wide‐bandwidth signal‐based multireceiver SAS imagery using extended chirp scaling algorithm

Traditional chirp scaling algorithm is often developed based on the quadratic approximation of point target reference spectrum, which neglects the higher-order coupling between range and azimuth dimensions. Besides, the scaling operation is conducted based on quadratic term of reference range, and the residual quadratic error increases with target range far away from reference range. The analysis of phase error shows that both errors are noticeable under the case of wide-bandwidth signal, and the imaging performance would be seriously distorted. To solve this problem, the higher-order coupling and quadratic error are compensated by exploiting sub-block processing method in the range dimension when the chirp scaling algorithm is exploited to reconstruct targets. Compared to traditional methods, the presented method significantly improves the focussing performance based on the simulation results. The processing of real data further shows that the performance of presented method is superior to that of traditional method.