Report on Special Analysis on Electrical and Electronic Engineering

THz Communication – A Candidate for the next Generation of Wireless Systems?

By Prof. Dr. Thomas Kuerner
Technische Universität Braunschweig
At Plenary Talk 3, 25 January 2020, ISAP 2020, Osaka, Japan

Introduction to THz Communication

6G research should look at the problem of transmitting up to 1Tbps per user. This is
possible through the efficient utilization of spectrum in the Terahertz regime. Extended spectrum
towards THz will enable merging communication and new applications such as 3D imaging and
sensing. However, new paradigm for transceiver architecture and computing will be needed to
achieve these - there are opportunities for semiconductors, optics, and new materials in THz
applications to mention a few. Fig. 1 shows the data rate development in each year. According to
the data, around 2035 communication will reach such high data rate where THz spectrum is needed
because, in order to reach this high data rate, it is not only enough to have high spectral efficiency
and work on the corresponding transmission systems, but it is also important to have enough
bandwidth. At the present, all the spectrum below 300 GHz is occupied. It is difficult to find the
spectrum of several 10 GHz and even more than 100 GHz. This leaves the possible spectrum more
than 300 GHz where there is no allocation to any services. First application is fixed point to point
links where the transmitter and receiver know their positions and can be conversed by using highly-
directive antennas without having complex beam-forming: backhaul/fronthaul links, wireless links
in data centers, and intra-device communication as in cameras or video projectors. Other
applications are the nomadic use for indoor/outdoor and smart rail mobility.
Challenges
To make THz communication happen a couple of challenges have to be met:
1. Channel models for envisaged applications are required.
2. RF front-ends and antenna concepts have to be developed.
3. Appropriate base band transmission techniques and networking interfaces need to be defined.
4. Advances in metrology to enable accurate measurements of Tbps in the THz frequency range
are required.
5. Standards have to be developed and regulatory issues have to be resolved.

Source: G. Fettweis, 1st TERAFLAG Workshop Cassis 2018

Fig. 1 Development of data rates in wireless systems

Propagation Channel
In the THz frequency range free space path loss and atmospheric attenuation (which comes
from the resonant frequencies of molecules) are high. However, the atmospheric effect may be
irrelevant for other applications such as indoor applications. The ray tracing method has been
proofed to be an efficient tool to do channel modellings since we are close to the frequency range
of light. The challenge for indoor application is the interaction with the objects and therefore it is
the relation between wavelength and the size of the object. At 300 GHz, the wavelength is 1 mm
which means even small details of the structure of the surfaces where we have the reflection or
scattering effect have to be taken into account, e.g., surface roughness (Fig. 2) where its standard
deviation is lower than 1 cm, or media layers where thickness is lower than 1 cm.
Antennas
The high path loss at this high frequency can be mitigated by using high gain antennas.
However, the line of sight communication is likely to be interfered and signals will be blocked.
The possibility is to utilize multi-path effect (reflection). In order to enable such a configuration,
it is necessary that we have steerable pencil-beam antennas.
Challenge of Device Discovery, i.e., alignment of high gain antennas used for 300 GHz
links is challenging especially in the device discovery phase during the set-up of the connection.
Brute-force scanning of AoA at Rx and AoD at Tx is too time-consuming. The alternative is to get
the rough estimation at lower frequency and then do the fine-tuning using the 300 GHz system.
Transceivers
Key Enabling Technologies (KETs)
 Photonics-based LO
 Electronic THz amplifier and up-converter
 High power THz TWTA
 Electronic THz receiver
 Digital baseband & networking interface
 Spectrum regulation & interference mitigation
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
 Transmitter linearity, bandwidth & output
 Spectral purity of photonic THz LO
 Bandwidth, noise & linearity in the receiver
 Real-time data rate processing capability
 Spectral efficiency (bit/s/Hz)
 System capacity (Gbps×Km)

Source: R. Piesiewicz, et al., “Scattering Analysis for the Modeling of THz Communication Systems”, IEEE Trans.
on Antennas and Propag., Vol. 55, No. 11, Nov. 2007, pp.3002-3009

Fig. 2 Measuring scattering loss by THz-TDS in reflection geometry

Fig. 3 H2020-THoR approach: Demonstrating 300 GHz backhaul link

Metrology
Main findings from various hardware demonstrations on THz communications show the
following:
Feasibility: The principal feasibility of THz communications has been proven and has shown its
potential for future wireless transmission.
Accuracy: Non-ideal behavior of system components and the harsh propagation conditions require
adequate and sophisticated measurement equipment, procedures and algorithms to perform
measurements and to calibrate the measurement equipment.
Real-time performance: Measurements enabling the functionality of THz communications will be
highly demanding due to factors such as the high carrier-frequency, the ultra-high bandwidth or
both.
  Device discovery, beam-tracking and beam-switching under the regime of high-gain
antennas require real-time performance evaluation
 Determination of quality of transmission and performance parameters in parallel THz
systems require real-time performance evaluation.
From this findings, it is obvious that the capability to perform measurements and evaluate
these measurements in a proper way are crucial for the advance of THz communication systems.
Metrology at THz frequencies is however still in its infancy and as of today it only covers detector
calibration to characterization of ultrafast devices and to measurement uncertainty analysis of
different spectrometer types available at THz frequencies. DFG FOR 2863 Meteracom (Metrology
for THz communications) addresses the grand challenge of metrology in THz communication
measurements systematically and in four distinct areas:
 Traceability to the International System of Units (SI)
 Characterization of the measurement system itself
 Metrological characterization of the RF components and the propagation channel
 Measurements required for enabling the functionality of THz communications.

Standards and Regulation

In 2017 the first 300 GHz standard has been developed by IEEE Std. 802.15.3d:
 New 300 GHz PHY for Std. IEEE 802.15.3-2016
 Mac is mainly based on IEEE 802.15.3e-2017, which introduced the concept of “Pairnet”
Point-to-point nature with highly-directive antennas reduces the problem of interference
and fighting for access. Position of Tx and Rx antennas are known.
 8 different channel bandwidths (as multiples of 2.16 GHz) at 252-321 GHz.
Radio regulations for beyond 275 GHz as defined at WRC have following issues: A number
of band in the frequency range 275-1000 GHz are identified for use by administrations for passive
service application. The following specific frequency bands are identified for measurements by
passive services:
 Radio astronomy service: 275-323 GHz, 327-371 GHz, 388-424 GHz, 426-442 GHz, 453-
510 GHz, 623-711 GHz, 795-909 GHz and 926-945 GHz;
 Earth exploration-satellite service (passive) and space research service (passive): 275-286
GHz, 296-306 GHz, 313-356 GHz, 361-365 GHz, 369-392 GHz, 397-399 GHz, 409-411
GHz, 416-434 GHz, 439-467 GHz, 477-502 GHz, 523-527 GHz, 538-581 GHz, 611-630
GHz, 634-654 GHz, 657-692 GHz, 713-718 GHz, 729-733 GHz, 750-754 GHz, 771-776
GHz, 823-846 GHz, 850-854 GHz, 857-862 GHz, 866-882 GHz, 905-928 GHz, 951-956
GHz, 968-973 GHz and 985-990 GHz.
The use of the range 275-1000 GHz by the passive services does not preclude use of his range by
active services. Administrations wishing to make frequencies in the 275-1000 GHz range available
for active service applications are urged to take all practical steps to protect these passive services
from harmful interference until the date when the table of frequency allocation is established in
the above-mentioned 275-1000 GHz frequency range. All frequencies in the range 1000-3000 GHz
may be used by both active and passive services (WRC-12). At WRC 2019 FN. 5.654A has been
added to the radio regulations.
The outcome of WRC 2019 provides a sound regulatory framework for the implementation
of future THz communication systems in the frequency band 252 to 450 GHz. Within this band,
four contiguous bands with bandwidths of:
 44 GHz (between 252 and 296 GHz),
 7 GHz (between 306 and 313 GHz),
 15 GHz (between 318 and 333 GHz),
 94 GHz (between 356 and 450 GHz)
are available for almost unrestricted use by THz communications.

Source: T. Kurmer, et al., “On the Impact of the Results of WRC 2019 on THz communications”, Proc. of
International Workshop on Mobile THz systems, 2-3 Jul. 2020

Fig. 4 Conditions for the use of spectrum for THz communications

Conclusion
 Frequency bands beyond 275 GHz offer a huge potential to implement wireless
communication systems with data rates targeting 100 Gbit/s
 Results and research activities on propagation, antennas, transceivers and metrology have
been presented
 Hardware demonstrations have shown the principal feasibility of THz communications.
 A first standard @IEEE 802 has been completed
 A total of 160 GHz for THz communications is available after WRC 2019

Ruckkwaen Tuchjuta
Student ID: 18D10440