Characterization of the D-Band Radio Channel for Future Wireless Communication Systems

In future sixth-generation (6G) wireless communications, carrier frequencies above 100 GHz will be used where large bandwidths are still available that enable high-capacity wireless links.
This poster presents an overview of my research on the characterization of radio propagation at D-band frequencies, ranging from 110 to 170 GHz, for indoor and outdoor environments.
The envisioned applications for indoor environments include video streaming, virtual and augmented reality (AR/VR), and a wireless hub. 
For outdoor environments, fixed wireless access (FWA) networks are envisioned, providing internet connectivity as an alternative to fiber.
Empirical channel models are presented based on measurement campaigns, using a vector network analyzer-based channel sounder for the indoor environments, and a spectrum analyzer-based channel sounder for the outdoor environments.
Penetration and reflection loss measurements for different materials show a periodic pattern over the full band.
Reflection loss values range from 4 dB for a tabletop up to 20 dB for a cardboard box.
The spatio-temporal channel model for a conference room environment confirms the channel sparsity with respect to multipath components.
For outdoor environments, Line-of-Sight (LOS) and non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) path loss models are presented, as well as building reflection loss measurements and a new vegetation loss model. 
The outdoor channel models are used in link budget calculations to estimate received power as a function of distance for a fixed transmit power and antenna gain. 
The received power estimate is used to calculate the signal-to-noise ratio from which the channel capacity can be determined, which confirms that D-band frequencies can be used to realize FWA networks.