Terahertz (THz)-band (0.1 – 10 THz) communication is envisioned as a key wireless technology to satisfy the need for higher wireless data rates in denser networks. Several ongoing approaches are being considered to overcome the grand challenge of the THz band, i.e., the limited communication distance. Among others, the use of new 2D nanomaterials such as graphene to create novel plasmonic devices that operate directly in the THz range and can be densely packed has been proposed. This paper presents a novel THz plasmonic array architecture which leverages the properties of graphene to greatly simplify its design and operation. Each element of the plasmonic array is an independent front-end, consisting of an on-chip plasmonic source, modulator and antenna. The advantages of this array architecture over conventional array architectures are discussed. The trade-offs in the design of the front-end and the array are exhaustively studied in transmission. The ability to perform continuous dynamic beamforming is presented. A new tailored algorithm is developed for beamforming weight selection. Extensive numerical results are provided to demonstrate the functionality of the array for dynamic beamforming and increased power output.

中文翻译：

---

用于太赫兹波段通信的基于石墨烯的等离子体纳米天线阵列的设计和运行

太赫兹 (THz) 频带 (0.1 – 10 THz) 通信被设想为一种关键无线技术，可满足更密集网络中对更高无线数据速率的需求。正在考虑几种正在进行的方法来克服太赫兹频段的巨大挑战，即有限的通信距离。其中，使用新的二维纳米材料（如石墨烯）来创建直接在太赫兹范围内工作并且可以密集封装的新型等离子体装置。本文提出了一种新颖的太赫兹等离子体阵列架构，该架构利用石墨烯的特性极大地简化了其设计和操作。等离子体阵列的每个元件都是一个独立的前端，由片上等离子体源、调制器和天线组成。讨论了这种阵列架构相对于传统阵列架构的优势。在传输中详尽地研究了前端和阵列设计中的权衡。展示了执行连续动态波束成形的能力。为波束成形权重选择开发了一种新的定制算法。提供了广泛的数值结果来演示阵列用于动态波束成形和增加功率输出的功能。