One of the most exciting future applications of terahertz technology is in the area of wireless communications. As 5G systems incorporating a standard for millimeter-wave wireless links approach commercial roll-out, it is becoming clear that even this new infrastructure will not be sufficient to keep pace with the rapidly increasing global demand for bandwidth. One favorable solution that is attracting increasing attention for subsequent generations of wireless technology is to use higher frequencies, above 100 GHz. The implementation of such links will require significant advances in hardware, algorithms, and architecture. Although numerous research groups are exploring aspects of this challenging problem, many basic questions remain unaddressed. Here, we present an experimental effort to characterize THz wireless links in both indoor and outdoor environments. We report measurements at 100, 200, 300, and 400 GHz, using a link with a data rate of 1 Gbit/s. We demonstrate both line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight (specular reflection) links off of interior building walls. This work represents a first step to establish the feasibility of using THz carrier waves for data transmission in diverse situations and environments.

The development of components for terahertz wireless communications networks has become an active and growing research field. However, in most cases these components have been studied using a continuous or broadband-pulsed terahertz source, not using a modulated data stream. This limitation may mask important aspects of the performance of the device in a realistic system configuration. We report the characterization of one such device, a frequency multiplexer, using modulated data at rates up to 10 gigabits per second. We also demonstrate simultaneous error-free transmission of two signals at different carrier frequencies, with an aggregate data rate of 50 gigabits per second. We observe that the far-field spatial variation of the bit error rate is different from that of the emitted power, due to a small nonuniformity in the angular detection sensitivity. This is likely to be a common feature of any terahertz communication system in which signals propagate as diffracting beams not omnidirectional broadcasts.

We describe measurements of the diffuse bistatic scattering of a modulated terahertz beam incident on five metallic rough surfaces, to investigate the implications of surface roughness for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) wireless data links at frequencies at and above 100 GHz. The measurements were performed using transmitter and receiver modules, operating at several frequencies from 100 to 400 GHz. We investigate the dependence of the scattering patterns on surface roughness parameters, including rms height and correlation length. The results are consistent with numerical models for scattering from a rough surface. They support the design of bistatic methods for future multiple antenna systems, remote sensing, imaging, and localization in the terahertz range. We demonstrate for the first time that data links which incorporate an NLOS reflection in a nonspecular direction can be established at frequencies above 100 GHz, with low bit error rates.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assisted wireless communications have been expected to play a vital role in the next generation of wireless networks. UAVs can serve as either repeaters or data collectors within the communication link, thereby potentially augmenting the efficacy of communication systems. Despite their promise, the channel analysis and modeling specific to terahertz (THz) wireless channels leveraging UAVs remain under-explored. This work delves into a ground-to-UAV channel at 140 GHz, with a specific focus on the influence of UAV hovering behavior on channel performance. Employing experimental measurements through an unmodulated channel setup and a geometry-based stochastic model (GBSM) that integrates three-dimensional positional coordinates and beamwidth, this work evaluates the impact of UAV dynamic movements and antenna orientation on channel performance. Our findings highlight the minimal impact of UAV orientation adjustments on channel performance and underscore the diminishing necessity for precise alignment between UAVs and ground stations as beamwidth increases.