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

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.