EU-Project HAMLET started in Berlin

The Fraunhofer HHI is part of the innovative EU-Horizon-2020 project HAMLET (Heterogeneous Advancement and hybrid integration of polyMer and tripLEx platform for integrated microwave phoTonics)which was started in the beginning of January in Berlin. The goal of the project is the joint development of a new kind of transceiver for future 5G-mobile phone networks in the frequency range of 28 GHz.

To this end under the direction of the ICCS of the NTU Athens (Greece) with the partners LioniX, Solmates, SATRAX (all in the Netherlands), Linkra (Italy) as well as the Fraunhofer HHI an international consortium of companies and research institutes has been formed which is able to cover the whole integration chain of the transceiver module.

One of the Fraunhofer HHI’s focal points will be the development and integration of fast light modulators on the basis of the 2-dimensional material graphene into the existing PolyBoard-platform. The goal here is to realize the entire data-modulation and demodulation as well as the creation of the carrier signal on the PolyBoard-chip. In this way, the diverse passive polymer waveguide networks and efficient thermo-optical functions will be complemented for the first time by high bit-rate electro-optic modulation. This will not only be beneficial for the HAMLET project but will also allow an entirely new flexibility in the design of active optoelectronic components in Fraunhofer HHI’s PolyBoard platform.

The adaptation of the emission direction which is important for 5G-networks through optical beamforming networks is achieved through the integration of piezoelectric materials in LioniX’ TriPleX platform which allows for extremely low power consumption.

The PolyBoard and TriPleX platforms being individually expanded as part of the HAMLET project are to be made available in compound in the future as well. Through the combination of the strengths of both platforms new possibilities in the design and manufacturing of integrated photonic components are opened up for Fraunhofer-HHI and LioniX addressing individual solutions to their customers and partners needs

Press here to see press release on HHI’s website.