BT tests first quantum radio receiver to drive next-generation 5G and IoT
Key Points:
· BT tests new ultra-sensitive quantum radio receiver to boost next-generation 5G and IoT networks.
· The technology uses "excited atoms" to provide 100 times higher sensitivity than conventional receivers.
· Atomic receivers have the potential to reduce mobile network energy consumption, enable IoT cost-effectiveness, and help bridge the rural connectivity gap.
On May 18, BT announced a groundbreaking trial of a new ultra-sensitive quantum antenna technology that uses excited atomic states to boost the capabilities of next-generation 5G and IoT networks.
Atomic radio frequency (RF) receiver technology represents a revolutionary new way to detect radio waves, which can detect signals that are much weaker than conventional receivers. The receiver works by exploiting a quantum effect called "electromagnetically induced transparency" to form a highly sensitive electric field detector. BT's trial represents the first time that digitally encoded information has been received on the 3.6GHz (5G) carrier frequency. Previously, simple audio has been received using higher frequencies, but this trial is the first industrial demonstration of digital modulation in EE's (British Telecommunications Operator's) main commercial 5G frequency range.
This new type of receiver could reduce mobile network energy consumption, make Internet of Things (IoT) devices more cost-effective and longer-lasting, and support lower-cost smart cities and smart agriculture.
In theory, atomic RF receivers are more than 100 times more sensitive than conventional receivers and could be placed in passive optical receivers in hard-to-reach locations, potentially bringing mobile networks closer to achieving 100 percent coverage and helping shrink The rural connectivity divide.
While the technology is still in its very early stages, it has the potential to provide higher sensitivity than conventional radio antennas, tunable operation at very low frequencies, detection of analog and digital modulations, and low-energy performance by reducing the need for electronics consumption. This new technology could in the future be the basis for ultra-sensitive 5G receivers for extremely low-power passive mobile networks.
Researchers at BT Labs are working to miniaturize devices and find the best radio frequency modulation and signal processing for use in future generations of radio networks.
Howard Watson, BT's chief technology officer, said: "BT's investment in cutting-edge research and development has played a central role in ensuring the UK remains a leader in network technology. Our plans have enormous potential to enhance the performance of our next-generation EE network, and Better service for our customers. Although this technology is still in its early stages, we are proud to play an important role in developing cutting-edge science.”
Local partners in Quebec (MEI, Institut Quantique, McGill University) and Canada (NRC) provided financial and technical assistance for the development of QTCAD. In addition, international technical and scientific partners: STMicroelectronics in France, VTT in Finland, Tohoku Institute of Technology in Japan and some top Japanese universities also put forward corresponding views and specific development suggestions , which enriches the functional scope of QTCAD and the feasibility limit of the code.
BT has also been awarded several patents related to the implementation of an atomic radio frequency receiver, and is the first company to use the technology to send information at 3.6GHz. In 2021, BT also published its first paper on atomic RF receivers in the prestigious Journal of Lightwave Technology, as follows:
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9492845
Reference link:
https://newsroom.bt.com/bt-trials-new-quantum-radios-to-boost-next-generation-5g--iot-networks/
