FlexLink: Decoupling Control and Data Beams for Next-Generation Wideband Networks

2026-05-31

AI Summary

This work addresses the limitations of conventional phased arrays, which, constrained by a single-beam architecture, struggle to efficiently support both control and data channels simultaneously in millimeter-wave and mid-band frequencies, often suffering significant gain loss due to beam squint. To overcome this, the authors propose a novel true-time-delay phased array architecture that jointly reallocates energy in both frequency and spatial domains, enabling the generation of multiple independent narrow beams without compromising single-beam gain or increasing power consumption. This approach achieves, for the first time in hardware, decoupling between control and data beams, thereby transcending the traditional single-beam constraint. Experimental validation using a 4–7 GHz wideband prototype and a custom testbed demonstrates nearly a two-fold improvement in spectral efficiency.

Abstract

The next generation of 6G networks aims to utilize ultra-wideband spectrum and massive antenna arrays to serve multiple users with both control and data channels at low latency and high efficiency. However, phased arrays at mmWave and mid-bands are fundamentally constrained to a single beam or suffer sharp beamforming loss when split across directions, limiting simultaneous control-data support. In FlexLink, we introduce and prototype a novel delay-phased array architecture that overcomes this limitation by redistributing energy jointly across frequency and space, enabling multiple narrow beams without sacrificing per-beam gain or requiring additional power. We design and prototype FlexLink on a custom 4-7 GHz hardware testbed, demonstrating for the first time that control and data beams can be decoupled in practice, achieving nearly double spectral efficiency compared to conventional phased arrays.

Problem

• phased arrays
• beamforming
• control-data decoupling
• wideband networks
• spectral efficiency

Innovation

• delay-phased array
• beam decoupling
• wideband networks
• spectral efficiency
• multi-beamforming