CONSORTIUM

TERAWAY is a technology intensive project that aims to develop a new generation of THz transceiver modules, and by leveraging these modules to enable the operation of disruptive communication systems that can provide coverage and support applications with ultra-high requirements. In order to address this long chain of innovation and developments, TERAWAY brings together twelve (12) leading European research centers and companies among which: One (1) Network operator – Telefónica Investigación y Desarrollo (TID, Spain); two (2) vendors – Intracom S.A. Telecom Solutions (ICOM, Greece) and SIAE Microelettronica S.p.A. (SIAE, Italy); two industry-oriented research institutes – Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz Institute (FbH-HHI, Germany) and Ferdinand-Braun-Institut Leibniz-Institut fuer Hoechstfrequenztechnik (FBH, Germany); a company and three (3) SMEs – LioniX International BV (LXI, Netherlands), Optagon Photonics (Optagon, Greece), PHIX Photonics Assembly (PHIX, Netherlands), Cumucore OY (CMC, Finland); and three academic organizations – Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M, Spain), Aalto University (AALTO, Finland) and the Institute of Communications & Computer Systems of the National technical University of Athens (ICCS, Greece) that coordinates the action.

Contact persons

Jose Costa-Requena

Cumucore Oy (CMC)

Cumucore is spin off company from AALTO University that provides cloud EPC integrated with Software Defined Networking (SDN). The company has customers currently in Europe, South Africa and USA. The Cumucore main product cloud EPC has been used in an ETSI PoC to demonstrate the deployment of EPC as part of ETSI NFV. Moreover, CMC together with other partners demonstrated the deployment of the world first pilot of Licensed Frequency sharing (LSA) and cloud EPC.

Role in the project

In TERAWAY, CMC brings the innovative concepts based on dynamic adaptation of network resources to meet industrial requirements. Network slicing and Multi-access edge computing has been researched for some time but Cumucore contributes with disruptive design based on micro-services components that are dynamically deployed in the network and changed in real time to deliver adaptive network slicing based on network resources. CMC participates in the design, the development and the demonstration activities of the system requirements and specifications and will provide the SDN mobile backhaul manager integrated with Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) for validation of forward-looking solutions for Industrial Communications.

Contact persons

Riku Jäntti

 

Edward Mutafungwa

Aalto-korkeakoulusäätiö sr (AALTO)

Aalto-korkeakoulusäätiö operating as Aalto University (AALTO), is a Finnish university in the fields of science and technology, economics, architecture, arts and design. The TERAWAY project will be carried out at the Department of Communications and Networking (COMNET). COMNET was established in 2008 and is a multidisciplinary unit of research and higher education covering communications and networking technology, networking business and human aspects of communications technology. Apart from being a long-established research unit in AALTO, COMNET also gives the highest-level teaching in networking technology, traffic theory, networking business, communications and information theory and radio communications systems. COMNET has largely contributed to the 31st ranking of AALTO in the field of the department, namely Telecommunications Engineering, and that is according to the Shanghai subject rankings of 2017. It is the highest ranked engineering discipline in Finland.

Role in the project

In TERAWAY Aalto university will participate in WP2 providing their contribution to scenarios and requirements definition and will contribute to the development of the propagation modelling and system simulations. Aalto is a key partner for the development of the network configuration and operation algorithms as part of the radio resource management and the network control platform based on Software Defined Network with the RAN slicing. Aalto will also work on the development of software-defined ratio (SDR) base station configuration and integration to drone platform. Within WP7, Aalto will participate and will lead the preparation of testbed and the execution of demo activities

Contact persons

Claudio Passera

SIAE Microelettronica S.p.A. (SIAE)

SIAE Microelettronica S.p.A. is a leading provider of wireless backhaul solutions, explicitly specialized in point to point (PTP) microwave and mmWave radio systems that provide 2G/3G/4G mobile backhaul, IP and TDM technologies, high speed LAN to LAN interconnections with more than 90 000 PTP radio installed per year. SIAE Group is based in Italy and currently employs up to 1500 people. SIAE is a global provider of products and services for backhaul radio, and operates globally providing microwave systems, multiplexers, and network management systems. SIAE Microelectronica Group is a member of the ONF (Open Network Foundation) and has chaired the Microwave Workgroup since June 2016.

Role in the project

SIAE Microelettronica will contribute in the definition of the microwave model and it is participating in the software development of open source SDN Virtual Mediation Device. The experience and knowledge of the market and the needs of telecom operators will be essential to achieve business results with a high TRL, and SIAE Microelettronica is a strong key player in respect of achieving these goals. The contribution of SIAE to TERAWAY will ensure the analysis and evaluation of specific issues related to radio transport, and that the use case and solutions proposed take into account the peculiarity of this portion of the network.

Contact persons

Dimitrios Kritharidis

Intracom S.A. Telecom Solutions (ICOM)

Intracom SA Telecom Solutions is a global telecommunication systems & solutions vendor operating for over 40 years in the market. The company innovates in the areas of small-cell backhaul, wireless transmission and broadband wireless access and has successfully deployed its industry leading point-to-point and point-to-multipoint packet radio systems worldwide. ICOM offers a competitive portfolio of revenue-generating telco software solutions and a complete range of ICT services, focusing on big data analytics, converged networking and cloud computing for operators and private, public and government clouds. ICOM has extensive know-how and a proven track record in the telecommunications market, serving more than 100 renowned customers in over 70 countries. The company develops and provides products, solutions and professional services primarily for fixed and mobile telecom operators, public authorities and large public and private enterprises. The company employs more than 1,700 highly skilled professionals and operates own R&D and production facilities. Its subsidiaries span across Europe, Russia and the CIS, the Middle East and Africa, Asia and North America.

Role in the project

ICOM leads the WP6 and will develop the baseband and IF units for the low-bandwidth modules. ICOM will contribute in WP2 to the identification of system requirements based on the targeted application scenarios and to the generation of system specifications and architecture by developing the toolbox of the DSP methods and to the design of TERAWAY transceivers. ICOM will also participates and contribute to the test and validation of the TERAWAY modules in the lab tests and field trial.

Contact persons

Jeroen Duis

 

Joost van Kerkhof

PHIX B.V. (PHIX)

PHIX ambition is to become the world’s first automated photonics assembly and packaging line for medium and large volume photonic integrated circuits (PICs), photonic components, assemblies and modules. PHIX will sell photonic components and assemblies, act as component or module manufacturer and subcontractor for OEM a Tier 1 customers and provide education and training on photonics assembly and packaging in collaboration with its academic partners. PHIX addresses the need for advanced photonic assembly and packaging solutions in a market that is expected to be worth over €615 billion by 2020. PHIX will provide a state-of-the-art infrastructure in The Netherlands, supporting the European and worldwide industrial development of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs). Currently PHIX employs nearly 10, highly educated people, and its management has experience in the micro/nano packaging technology for decades.

Role in the project

Within the project PHIX leads the component integration and assembly activities for the TERAWAY modules and nodes and is responsible as work package leader for the different packaging. During the project PHIX will develop the process for flip-chip integration of InP components and preparation of optical subassemblies, as well as the develop the packaging engine for the multi-chip modules.

Contact persons

Viktor Krozer

 

Wolfgang Heinrich

 

Hady Yacoub

Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut fuer Hoechstfrequenztechnik (FBH)

The Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut fuer Hoechstfrequenztechnik (FBH) researches electronic and optical components, modules and systems based on compound semiconductors. FBH develops high-efficiency multi-functional microwave power amplifiers targeting the wireless infrastructure as well as mmWave front-ends for radar and imaging systems and broadband communications. In the field of optical components, FBH develops light sources from the visible to the ultra-violet spectral range: high-power diode lasers with excellent beam quality, UV light sources and hybrid laser systems. Applications range from medical technology, high-precision metrology and sensors to optical communications in space. The FBH is a competence center for III-V compound semiconductors and has a strong international reputation

Role in the project

FBH is responsible for the development of the transimpedance amplifier (TIA) for the receiver, which is a key component in the system. For this development, FBH will provide its InP DHBT technology with a cut-off frequency of currently > 500 GHz. In the course of the project, FBH will provide the latest technologies, as it is currently expanding the cut-off frequencies towards 700 GHz. FBH will also design and characterize the TIA and the data and components will be delivered to the consortium.

Contact persons

Eduardo Yusta Padilla

 

Victor López

 

Juan Pedro Fernández-Palacios Jiménez

Telefónica Investigación y Desarrollo (TID)

TID is the innovation company of the Telefónica Group. Owned 100% by Telefónica, this subsidiary was formed in 1988, with the aim of strengthening the Group’s competitiveness through technological innovation. TID employs over 600 persons, of whom 93% hold a University degree. Telefónica’s innovation process, which is largely based on the activities of TID, is based on four fundamental lines of work: infrastructures, development of new services, and deployment of the so-called “personal digital environment” and, a series of common elements which play the role of for the rest of activities. All the activities in TID are carried out conforming to an in-house Project Development and Management Methodology, which has been awarded an ISO 9001 Certification since 1994, updated to the new ISO 9001:2000 in 2001. TID as a part of the Telefónica Group is in charge of innovation and strategic vision of emerging network technologies. Core and transport division in TID is also part of the Global CTO.

Role in the project

TID will focus on the definition of use cases selected according to the project vision and the extraction of the necessary network and systems requirements that will guide the project. TID leads the exploitation of TERAWAY foreground knowledge and will perform the techno -economic analysis of the TERAWAY technologies and solutions and will provide a roadmap for the migration towards future 5G backhaul networks. The main TID objective will be to estimate the total costs of ownership (TCO). From the technical design perspective, TID will contribute in the definition and technical validation of SDN solutions enabling standard interoperability among vendors.

Contact persons

Guillermo Carpintero

 

Muhsin Ali

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M)

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid is a public university characterized by its strong international focus, the quality of its faculty, excellence in research and commitment to society. It was founded in 1989 and its main goal is to provide specialized training in Law and Social Sciences and Engineering, as well as to become a prime European research center. In addition, the Carlos III University of Madrid pursues the creation of an innovative university and seeks to offer a University model based on a quality-oriented philosophy. In this sense, modern, flexible and multidisciplinary curricula have been designed trying to suit the scientific and technological demand of the Society. The university consists of three centers: The Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Humanities, Communication and Library Science and the School of Engineering.

Role in the project

UC3M participates in the design of the TERAWAY transceivers and has a key role in the definition of the methodologies, the design and the characterization of photonic integrated terahertz TERAWAY sources as well as in the design of the polymer motherboard, and the active add-on components for the receiver part. UC3M will also contribute in the development of the process for the integration and the packaging of transceivers and will participate in the modules testing in lab settings and the data collection for the channel modelling activities.

Contact persons

Christos Kouloumentas

 

Panos Groumas

Optagon Photonics (Optagon)

Optagon Photonics is a private company based in Athens, Greece. It was founded in 2016 by a group of highly motivated and experienced researchers and engineers in the fields of photonics, communications, sensing and signal processing. The core competence of the company associates with our ability to interface these fields and work along the innovation chain of photonics-enabled products from the concept idea to the prototype. Since its foundation, Optagon Photonics is in a business expansion phase, offering a broad range of solutions for the development of smart controllers for photonics-based devices for communications and sensing applications.

Role in the project

Optagon participates in the design of TERAWAY modules and has a key role in the development of DSP methods and specific methods for the beamforming tasks and all other tasks that are based on the beamforming functionality. Optagon will work on the development of the control electronics unit that will control all optical structures (lasers, and phase shifters) in the optical part of the modules. Optagon will work closely together with ICOM and ICCS on the system integration of the modules, nodes and system, on developing interfaces and will actively participate with ICCS and ICOM in the testing activities of WP7.

Contact persons

Robert Grootjans

 

Chris Roeloffzen

LioniX International B.V. (LXI)

LioniX International B.V. is a leading global provider of customized microsystem solutions, in particular integrated photonics-based, in scalable production volumes. LioniX provides customized solutions for OEM’s and System Integrators, from design to device, by vertical integration in scalable production volumes and maintaining technology leadership secured by strong IP position. As LioniX International we focus on Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) enabled modules based on our proprietary waveguide technology (TriPleX™), in addition to our other core competences micro-fluidics, opto-fluidics and MEMS. As vertically integrated company we deliver a complete solution to our OEM customers: from initial design through volume manufacturing of products. LioniX International. has been established in April 2016, funded by Panthera Group B.V. and YMK Photonics Co. Ltd., LioniX International B.V. is a private company. Currently LioniX International employs nearly 50, highly educated people, and its management has experience in the micro/nano system technology for decades.

Role in the project

LXI has a key role in WP3 by leading the design and the fabrication of TriPleX chips for the transmitter part of TERAWAY transceivers and will design and fabricate the TriPleX based Optical Beamformer/Beamsteering Unit. LXI will identify the desired operation requirements and system performance for the TERAWAY transmitter and translate these into optimal signal processing and chip configuration for Multi-beam Optical Beamforming and participates in component integration and assembly process for TERAWAY modules.

Contact persons

David de Felipe (Hybrid PICs group)

 

Norbert Keil (Hybrid PICs group)

 

Björn Globisch (THZ group)

 

Simon Nellen (THZ group)

 

Moritz Baier (InP Foundry group)

Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz Institute (FhG-HHI)

Founded in 1928, FhG-HHI is one of the leading laboratories worldwide with emphasis on InP-based discrete photonic components and photonic integrated circuits (PIC), as well as polymer-based planar lightwave circuits (PLCs) and hybrid PICs. In 2002 HHI became a member of the Fraunhofer Society, which focuses on applied research of direct utility to private and public enterprises and of wide benefit to society. In its Photonics Components (PC) department, HHI has successfully developed a wide range of photonic devices such as high-speed lasers and photodetectors, in many cases in close cooperation with domestic and foreign SMEs.

Role in the project

In the TERAWAY project, three R&D groups from the Photonics Components department of FhG-HHI are involved: will be involved: 1. the Hybrid PICs group, 2. The Terahertz Sensors and Systems group and 3. the Photonic InP Foundry group.

FhG-HHI is leading WP3 and is the key partner for the development of the polymer- and InP-based photonic components for the Tx and Rx modules, as well as the hybrid integration of the different optochips.

Contact persons

Hercules Avramopoulos
hav(at)mail.ntua.gr

Maria Massaouti
mmas(at)mail.ntua.gr

Nikolaos Lyras
lyrasnikos(at)mail.ntua.gr

 

The Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS)

ICCS was founded in 1989, as the research arm of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the National technical University of Athens (SECE-NTUA), with which it is associated, in the field of telecommunications systems and computer systems. The primary mandate of ICCS has been to provide the facilities and organizational environment through which research could be performed and through which post-graduate students could receive research stipends and researchers could be employed. At present ICCS employs more than 500 researchers including SECE faculty staff, senior research scientists, and PhD students.

Role in the project

ICCS coordinates the action and participates in the TERAWAY project with two groups: 1. the Photonics Communications Research Laboratory (PCRL) group and 2. the I-SENSE group. Within WP2, ICCS contributes in the definition of the system requirements, the design of the overall system and the system nodes, the design of the transceiver modules and will work actively on the DSP methods for the high-bandwidth baseband unit of the transceivers, the extension of the THz propagation models and the development of a localization technique based on the SDS-TWR method. 

ICCS will have a crucial contribution in the physical and system integration of the system nodes and in close collaboration with ICOM and Optagon will work on the link establishment process and the localization techniques. ICCS is responsible for the bench-top test and the system evaluation of all modules in the first two testing stages and will and participate in the Field Trial experiments in AALTO.