Terahertz Wireless Communications for 2030 and Beyond: A Cutting-Edge Frontier

Abstract

For 6G in 2030 and beyond, key performance metrics long for terabit-per-second, one-tenth of millisecond latency with zero jitter, millimeter-preci-sion sensing and positioning, and seamless connectivity, among others. To meet these demands, the terahertz (0.1–10 THz) band comes into the horizon, with ultra-broad bandwidth and sub-millimeter wavelength, which, however, suffers from distance limitation and power consumption concerns. In this article, four interdisciplinary directions to address the above challenges and unleash the full potential of THz communications are investigated, namely, integrated sensing and communication, ultra-mas-sive MIMO and dynamic hybrid beamforming, intelligent surfaces, and machine/deep learning. Furthermore, open problems as well as integration of these solutions are elaborated. Qualitative and quantitative studies demonstrate the benefits and performance of the proposed solutions.