CAREER: Terahertz on the Move: Enabling a Dynamic Last Mile for 6G Wireless Networks

This CAREER program aims to enable reliable wideband connectivity anywhere for anyone anytime and provide inclusive multi-generational learning experiences in the rural U.S. to increase technological literacy, contribute to building a skilled workforce, and stimulate entrepreneurship. The growth of wireless data traffic is significantly accelerating because of increasing demands for high-speed wireless connectivity, ubiquitous network access, and end-user experience. Data show that more than 50% of internet traffic is from mobile networks that consist of end-users who require last-mile service, the part of the wireless network that stretches from the radio access network to end-users. The growing disparity between increasing demand and limited solutions has created a bottleneck in wireless connectivity that is hindering the advancement of new applications that require wide bandwidth. This is especially true in rural areas. This integrated research and education program creates a Midwestern hub that will contribute to overcoming this bottleneck through fundamental research that advances scientific understanding of a wireless last mile that provides greater bandwidth, better flexibility, and higher scalability than current fixed access solutions and is more cost efficient. This program anticipates that with new applications that require ultra-low latency and high rendering quality (e.g., extended reality and digital twins), more mobile traffic will be created and consumed, requiring more bandwidth resources. This trend will, in turn, stimulate the U.S. economy, create jobs, and advance health and prosperity in rural areas. This highly integrated research and education program is addressing critical scientific problems on the physical layer for enabling a dynamic last mile at terahertz (THz) bands in 6G wireless networks while simultaneously establishing a unique research and education hub in the Midwest with capabilities to measure and test THz communication systems and networks. The research performed includes (i) characterizing the THz propagation channel under spatial dynamics, (ii) creating statistics models for THz networks under temporal dynamics, and (iii) designing self-adaptive THz systems under a mix of both dynamics. This work will help to enable the dynamic THz last mile. Closely integrated with these research objectives are education and outreach objectives that (i) promote convergence education through new curriculum, interdisciplinary research opportunities, and entrepreneurial skill-set training and (ii) foster responsible innovation by engaging with rural communities and stakeholders to deepen interdisciplinary teaching and entrepreneurial skill-set training and broaden stakeholder participation in the process of technology development. This project is jointly funded by Division of Computer Networking Systems (CNS) and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.