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Abstract

Radio transceivers based on software-defined radio (SDR) principles, in particular, radio receivers for wireless communication systems, as used in WiFi, 5G and (to be defined) future 6G networks, require low power, frequency-agile, and extremely large bandwidth devices based on cost-effective technologies to achieve concurrent multi-band operation. For example, signal conditioning and processing functions such as tunable "antennas, band filters, frequency mixers, amplifiers and direct digital conversion" present significant implementation challenges in terms of achieving low power consumption, high operating frequencies/sampling rates, and large bandwidths. Many of these challenges could be addressed by exploiting photonic technology in the form of Nano-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (NOEMS), which offers a new technology roadmap to address the requirements of future wireless communication systems. This poster presents an overview of the potential application of NOEMS to radio receivers, in particular addressing the tunability and direct digitisation requirements, which are essential to SDR transceivers.