In this paper, the potential of extending 5G New Radio physical layer solutions to support communications in sub-THz frequencies is studied. More specifically, we introduce the status of third generation partnership project studies related to operation on frequencies beyond 52.6 GHz and note also the recent proposal on spectrum horizons provided by federal communications commission (FCC) related to experimental licenses on 95 GHz - 3 THz frequency band. Then, we review the power amplifier (PA) efficiency and output power challenge together with the increased phase noise (PN) distortion effect in terms of the supported waveforms. As a practical example on the waveform and numerology design from the perspective of the PN robustness, link performance results using 90 GHz carrier frequency are provided. The numerical results demonstrate that new, higher subcarrier spacings are required to support high throughput, which requires larger changes in the physical layer design. It is also observed that new phase-tracking reference signal designs are required to make the system robust against PN. The results illustrate that single-carrier frequency division multiple access is significantly more robust against PN and can provide clearly larger PA output power than cyclic-prefix orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, and is therefore a highly potential waveform for sub-THz communications.
Next-generation wireless networks will see the convergence of communication and sensing, also exploiting the availability of large bandwidths in the Terahertz (THz) spectrum and electrically large antenna arrays on handheld devices. In particular, it is envisaged that user devices will be able to automatically scan their surroundings by steering a very narrow antenna beam and collecting echoes reflected by objects and walls to derive a map of indoors and infer users' trajectories using simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) techniques. In this paper, we address this scenario by proposing…
This paper presents selected results from a channel measurement campaign conducted in a shopping mall scenario at 158 GHz. The focus is on the statistical analysis of the collected measurement data in terms of directional channel gain. Although most power is received from the line-of-sight (LOS) direction, significant multipaths arrive from all measured azimuth directions. The median of the sorted directional channel gain can be approximated by a linear curve showing an offset of about 10 dB with respect to the LOS direction.
Terahertz Spatial Wireless Channel Modeling with Radio Radiance Field
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Georgia（电子与计算机工程学院，佐治亚大学）；Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison（电气与计算机工程学院，威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校）
Terahertz (THz) wireless access is considered as a next step towards sixth generation (6G) cellular systems. By utilizing even higher frequency bands than 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) New Radio (NR), they will operate over extreme bandwidth delivering unprecedented rates at the access interface. However, by relying upon pencil-wide beams, these systems will not only inherit mmWave propagation challenges such as blockage phenomenon but introduce their own issues associated with micromobility of user equipment (UE). In this paper, we analyze and compare user association schemes and multi-connecti…
Sub-terahertz (sub-THz) antenna array architectures significantly impact power usage and communications capacity in multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) systems. In this work, we compare the energy efficiency and spectral efficiency of three MU-MIMO capable array architectures for base station receivers. We provide a sub-THz circuits power analysis, based on our review of state-of-the-art D-band and G-band components, and compare communications capabilities through wideband simulations. Our analysis reveals that digital arrays can provide the highest spectral efficiency and ener…
Wireless communication in millimetre wave bands, namely above 20 GHz and up to 300 GHz, is foreseen as a key enabler technology for the next generation of wireless systems. The huge available bandwidth is contemplated to achieve high data-rate wireless communications, and hence, to fulfil the requirements of future wireless networks. In this paper, we discuss and illustrate new paradigms for the sub-THz physical layer, which either aim at maximizing the spectral efficiency, minimizing the device complexity, or finding good tradeoff. The solutions offered by appropriate modulation schemes and m…
Terahertz (THz) communication is a promising technology for future wireless networks due to its ultra-wide bandwidth. However, THz signals suffer from severe attenuation and poor diffraction capability, making it vulnerable to blocking obstacles. To compensate for these two shortcomings and improve the system performance, an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) can be exploited to change the propagation direction and enhance the signal strength. In this article, we investigate this promising ultra wide band (UWB) THz IRS communication paradigm. We start by motivating our research and describin…
In this letter, we introduce a novel mixed terahertz (THz)-radio frequency (RF) wireless system architecture, which can be used for backhaul/fronthaul applications, and we deliver the theoretical framework for its performance assessment. In more detail, after identifying the main design parameters and characteristics, we derive novel closed-form expressions for the end-to-end signal-to-noise ratio cumulative density function, the outage probability, and the symbol error rate, assuming that the system experiences the joint effect of fading and stochastic antenna misalignment. The derived analyt…
Wireless communications over Terahertz (THz)-band frequencies are vital enablers of ultra-high rate applications and services in sixth-generation (6G) networks. However, THz communications suffer from poor coverage because of inherent THz features such as high penetration losses, severe path loss, and significant molecular absorption. To surmount these critical challenges and fully exploit the THz band, we explore a coexisting radio frequency (RF) and THz finite indoor network in which THz small cells are deployed to provide high data rates, and RF macrocells are deployed to satisfy coverage r…
This paper studies the potential of using above 71GHz frequencies for 5G-Advanced or later in 6G. More specifically, the focus is to analyze what could be needed in terms of waveform and numerologies. The results suggest that higher baseline subcarrier spacings (SCSs) may be needed when moving above 71GHz, to fulfill the need for higher required bandwidths and phase noise robustness. The required SCS depends on carrier frequency and modulation order. It is also illustrated that single-carrier waveforms, especially Known Tail Discrete Fourier Transform Spread Orthogonal Frequency Division Multi…
The increasing demand for ultra-high throughput in ultra-dense networks might take a toll on 5G capacity. Moreover, with Internet-of-Things (IoT) and the growing use-cases for indoor killer-applications, it will be necessary to look beyond 5G technologies. One such promising technology is to move higher in the frequencies, such as the THz ($300$ $GHz$-$10$ $THz$) spectrum. THz has a massive number of greenfield-contiguous channels ranging from $10$ $GHz$ to $200$ $GHz$ (best case), which was not available in the traditional radio frequency (RF) or millimeter wave (mmWave) bands. Although THz h…
Terahertz spectrum is being researched upon to provide ultra-high throughput radio links for indoor applications, e.g., virtual reality (VR), etc. as well as outdoor applications, e.g., backhaul links, etc. This paper investigates a monopulse-based beam tracking approach for limited mobility users relying on sparse massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless channels. Owing to the sparsity, beamforming is realized using digitally-controlled radio frequency (RF) / intermediate-frequency (IF) phase shifters with constant amplitude constraint for transmit power compliance. A monopulse-…
TeraHertz (THz) communications can satisfy the high data rate demand with massive bandwidth. However, severe path attenuation and hardware imperfection greatly alleviate its performance. Therefore, we utilize the reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) technology and investigate the RIS-aided THz communications. We first prove that the small-scale amplitude fading of THz signals can be accurately modeled by the fluctuating two-ray distribution based on two THz signal measurement experiments conducted in a variety of different scenarios. To optimize the phase-shifts at the RIS elements, we pro…
Synesthesia of Machines (SoM)-Enhanced Sub-THz ISAC Transmission for Air-Ground Network
State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, School of Electronics, Peking University（光电通信国家重点实验室，电子学院，北京大学）；Internet of Things Thrust, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou)（物联网研究部，香港科技大学（广州））；Internet of Things Thrust & Intelligent Transportation Thrust, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou)（物联网研究部与智能交通研究部，香港科技大学（广州））；Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology（电子与计算机工程系，香港科技大学）
For future wireless communication technologies, an increase in capabilities such as throughput is strongly expected. Transmission in the sub-THz bands (>90 GHz) seems to be the potential solution to meet the ever-increasing capacity demands due to the large unexploited bandwidth. Oscillators used at these frequencies generate phase noise that induces critical distortions in the signal that must be addressed. The correlated nature of PN makes it difficult to overcome. Nowadays, there is a growing interest in considering the extension of multicarrier based waveforms of the 5G new radio for trans…
Recent Advances in mm-Wave and Sub-THz/THz Oscillators for FutureG Technologies
Department of Electrical and Information Technology, Lund University（吕斯特大学电子与信息技术系）；School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology（佐治亚理工学院电子与计算机工程学院）
Ultra-high bandwidth, negligible latency and seamless communication for devices and applications are envisioned as major milestones that will revolutionize the way by which societies create, distribute and consume information. The remarkable expansion of wireless data traffic that we are witnessing recently has advocated the investigation of suitable regimes in the radio spectrum to satisfy users' escalating requirements and allow the development and exploitation of both massive capacity and massive connectivity of heterogeneous infrastructures. To this end, the Terahertz (THz) frequency band …
Wireless communication in the TeraHertz band (0.1--10 THz) is envisioned as one of the key enabling technologies for the future six generation (6G) wireless communication systems. However, very high propagation attenuations and molecular absorptions of THz frequencies often limit the signal transmission distance and coverage range. Benefited from the recent breakthrough on the reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) for realizing smart radio propagation environment, we propose a novel hybrid beamforming scheme for the multi-hop RIS-assisted communication networks to improve the coverage rang…
