Propagation Measurements and Coverage Analysis for mmWave and Sub-THz Frequency Bands with Transparent Reflectors

TL;DR

This paper investigates the use of passive transparent reflectors to enhance signal coverage in NLOS indoor scenarios for mmWave and sub-THz frequencies, demonstrating significant power gains over metallic reflectors through measurements and simulations.

Contribution

It introduces the use of transparent reflectors for coverage improvement in mmWave and sub-THz bands, supported by experimental measurements and ray-tracing simulations.

Findings

Transparent reflectors outperform metallic ones in coverage enhancement.

Peak received power increases by over 5 dB at certain frequencies.

Coverage improvements are consistent across 28 GHz, 39 GHz, and 120 GHz.

Abstract

The emerging 5G and future 6G technologies are envisioned to provide higher bandwidths and coverage using millimeter wave (mmWave) and sub-Terahertz (THz) frequency bands. The growing demand for higher data rates using these bands can be addressed by overcoming high path loss, especially for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios. In this work, we investigate the use of passive transparent reflectors to improve signal coverage in an NLOS indoor scenario. Measurements are conducted to characterize the maximum reflectivity property of the transparent reflector using channel sounder equipment from NI. Flat and curved reflectors, each with a size of 16 inches by 16 inches, are used to study coverage improvements with different reflector shapes and orientations. The measurement results using passive metallic reflectors are also compared with the ray-tracing-based simulations, to further corroborate our inferences. The analysis reveals that the transparent reflector outperforms the metal reflector and increases the radio propagation coverage in all three frequencies of interest: 28~GHz, 39~GHz, and 120~GHz. Using transparent reflectors, there is an increase in peak received power that is greater than 5~dB for certain scenarios compared to metallic reflectors when used in flat mode, and greater than 3~dB when used in curved (convex) mode.