Rohde and Schwarz, an independent technology group develops, produces and markets innovative communications, information and security products for professional users, has conducted channel sounding measurement campaigns as part of the larger activities to understand the propagation characteristics of millimeter and sub-millimeter (sub-THz and THz) mobile radio channels, which cover various frequencies of relevance for the future 6G communication standard. The company has performed sub-THz measurement experiments in an urban micro scenario as well as an indoor scenario at 158 GHz and 300 GHz on the Rohde & Schwarz campus in Munich, Germany.
The initial results obtained during the experiments have contributed to the ITU-R Working Party 5D (W5PD) report on “Technical feasibility of IMT in bands above 100 GHz” with the objective to study and provide information on the technical feasibility of mobile cellular technologies in bands above 92 GHz (IMT meaning International Mobile Telecommunications standards).
The development of sub-THz communications as envisioned for 6G will only be possible with a solid understanding of the properties of electromagnetic wave propagation. The new frequency range between 100 GHz and 330 GHz gains worldwide interest and thus has been the focus of recent Rohde & Schwarz measurement campaigns. The report will be consulted at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radio Conference 2023 (WRC23), where additional frequency bands beyond 100 GHz are expected to be discussed and considered for allocation at the subsequent World Radio Conference 2027 (WRC27).
The current 3GPP channel model is only validated up to 100 GHz. A crucial first step for the standardization process for 6G is to extend this channel model to higher frequencies. To further pursue and extend these research activities, Rohde & Schwarz has been granted an experimental license by the Bundesnetzagentur, the German federal network agency. The license encompasses frequencies in the sub-THz region such as the D-band (110 GHz - 170 GHz) and H-band (220 GHz - 330 GHz), but also in the W-band (75 GHz - 110 GHz), FR2 (mmWave), FR3 (7 GHz - 24 GHz) and the industrial frequency band in Germany, 3.7 GHz - 3.8 GHz.
Taro Eichler, Technology Manager at Rohde & Schwarz and responsible for the recent sub-THz measurement campaign, said: “We are proud to contribute our share in investigating THz technologies, further extending knowledge by applying our leading-edge test and measurement solutions to early application scenarios and fundamental research, joining our renowned partners such as the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) and the Technical University (TU) Berlin in collaborations. With our current activities, we lay the foundation to support a critical step in the standardization process of 6G.
Click here to learn more about the results produced during the campaign from this whitepaper.
