The continuously growing need in wireless communications for higher data rates necessitates more wireless spectrum to be made available for new applications. For the next generation of mobile communication, called 5G, licenses in the millimeter-wave (mm-wave) spectrum, i.e. starting around 30 GHz, are going to be issued on top of the current sub-6 GHz bands to meet this demand. Since higher frequencies experience a larger free space attenuation, large-scale multi-antenna massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) base-stations with hundreds or thousands of active antenna elements are needed.
To offer mm-wave 5G technology at affordable prices to the end-user, these base-stations have to make use of reliable, low-cost antenna architectures and technologies. The fact that RF power generation is distributed over a large number of active antenna elements allows the use of highly integrated and cost-effective (Bi-)CMOS technologies. In combination with novel massive MIMO signal processing techniques, this approach can achieve a high-performance system at low costs. However, Europe requires specialists in this area that are trained to develop such multi-disciplinary systems. These experts can take leading roles within the EU ecosystem and maintain European leadership in the domain of wireless communications. Due to the novelty of these base-stations, these specialists have to be trained first. Therefore, SILIKA aims at educating 12 early-stage researchers (ESRs) to develop low-power, low-cost, silicon-based massive MIMO solutions and equip them with a comprehensive set of transferable skills relevant for long-term innovation and long-term employability. Working on different aspects throughout the entire system value chain and in cooperation with leading European industry, the ESRs will build a solid, multi-disciplinary and intra-European network that will fuel innovation and excellence in the EU for the coming decades.
