Assembly of mobile 5G transceiver based on photonic motherboard

We describe the assembly of a 5G transceiver leveraging photonics for the generation, emission and detection of
THz wireless signals. The transceiver and all associated control electronics and power supplies are designed for
mounting in a mobile aerial unit. A photonics motherboard concept that brings together polymer, III-V and SiN based
photonic platforms and provides optical fiber connectivity is used for the assembly. In addition, scalable
integration of 3D components, in this case an antenna rod or rod array, is demonstrated. Thermal considerations
arising from the dense integration of photonic and electronic components and the resulting concentrated heat
load are also discussed.