Sub-terahertz channel sounder: Review and future challenges

• Published in: China communications Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 26 - 48
• Main Authors: Lyu, Yejian, Kyosti, Pekka, Fan, Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Institute of Communications 01.06.2023; Keysight Technologies Finland Oy,Oulu 90630,Finland%Deparment of Electronic Systems,Aalborg University,Aalborg ?st 9220,Denmark; Center for Wireless Communication-Radio Technology(CWC-RT),Oulu University,Oulu 90570,Finland; Deparment of Electronic Systems,Aalborg University,Aalborg ?st 9220,Denmark%Center for Wireless Communication-Radio Technology(CWC-RT),Oulu University,Oulu 90570,Finland
• Subjects: Bandwidth; beyond 5G communication; channel sounding techniques; Communication systems; Costs; Millimeter wave communication; Radio frequency; radio propagation; sub-terahertz; Wavelength measurement; Wireless communication; channel sounding techniques; beyond 5G communi-cation; radio propagation; sub-terahertz
• ISSN: 1673-5447
• DOI: 10.23919/JCC.fa.2021-0450.202306

Due to the large amount of unused and unexplored spectrum resources, the so-called sub-Terahertz (sub-THz) frequency bands from 100 to 300 GHz are seen as promising bands for the next generation of wireless communication systems. Channel modeling at sub-THz bands is essential for the design and deployment of future wireless communication systems. Channel measurement is a widely adopted method to obtain channel characteristics and establish mathematical channel models. Channel measurements depend on the design and construction of channel sounders. Thus, reliable channel sounding techniques and accurate channel measurements are required. In this paper, the requirements of an ideal channel sounder are discussed and the main channel sounding techniques are described for the sub-THz frequency bands. The state-of-the-art sub-THz channel sounders reported in the literature and respective channel measurements are presented. Moreover, a vector network analyzer (VNA) based channel sounder, which supports frequency bands from 220 to 330 GHz is presented and its performance capability and limitation are evaluated. This paper also discussed the challenge and future outlook of the sub-THz channel sounders and measurements.