review · IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials
This paper provides a comprehensive review of terahertz (THz) communications and sensing, identifying it as a key enabler for next-generation cellular technologies, known as 6G. The review covers the advantages and applications of THz technology, its propagation characteristics, channel modelling, and measurement campaigns. It also examines antenna designs, transceiver devices, beamforming techniques, and the integration of communications and sensing. The paper discusses the historical development of THz systems, addresses technological challenges, and summarises practical trials and experiments. It aims to offer a holistic view of the current state of the art and highlight open research challenges for 6G and beyond.
This research is important because it explores how terahertz technology can enable the next generation of mobile networks (6G), offering significantly faster speeds and new sensing capabilities. Understanding these technologies is crucial for developing future communication systems that will support advanced applications and services, impacting various sectors from healthcare to smart cities.
This comprehensive review identifies the potential of THz for 6G, which could lead to new communication and sensing products. Industry partners, network operators, and technology developers could use this overview to guide research and development efforts for future high-capacity, high-performance wireless systems. It represents early-stage research and development guidance for technologies that are still some distance from real-world deployment.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Next-generation cellular technologies, commonly referred to as the sixth generation (6G), are envisioned to support a higher system capacity, better performance, and network sensing capabilities. The terahertz (THz) band is one potential enabler to this end due to the large unused frequency bands and the high spatial resolution enabled by the short signal wavelength and large bandwidth. Different from earlier surveys, this paper presents a comprehensive treatment and technology survey on THz communications and sensing in terms of advantages, applications, propagation characterization, channel modeling, measurement campaigns, antennas, transceiver devices, beamforming, networking, the integration of communications and sensing, and experimental testbeds. Starting from the motivation and use cases, we survey the development and historical perspective of THz communications and sensing with the anticipated 6G requirements. We explore the radio propagation, channel modeling, and measurement for the THz band. The transceiver requirements, architectures, technological challenges, and state-of-the-art approaches to compensate for the high propagation losses, including appropriate antenna design and beamforming solutions. We overview several related technologies that either are required by or are beneficial for THz systems and networks. The synergistic design of sensing and communications is explored in depth. Practical trials, demonstrations, and experiments are also summarized. The paper gives a holistic view of the current state of the art and highlights the open research challenges towards 6G and beyond.
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DOI: 10.1109/comst.2024.3385908
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