millimeter wave (mmWave)

Millimeter wave (mmWave), also known as the millimeter band, is a spectrum of electromagnetic frequencies that falls between microwaves and infrared waves. It encompasses frequencies from 30 GHz to 300 GHz, corresponding to wavelengths from 10 millimeters down to 1 millimeter[1][4]. This range is also referred to as the extremely high frequency (EHF) band by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)[1].

The mmWave spectrum is particularly significant for its application in wireless high-speed communications, including the deployment of 5G networks. It offers high-bandwidth capacities, making it ideal for environments with a high density of users, such as stadiums, and for applications requiring fast data transfer rates, such as streaming high-resolution video[1][2]. In addition to telecommunications, mmWave technology is used in various fields including radar, radio astronomy, military applications, and autonomous vehicle communication[4].

One of the key advantages of mmWave is its ability to support extremely high data speeds and low latency communications, which are critical for applications like connected vehicles and smart city IoT[6]. However, mmWave signals have a limited range and are subject to high propagation losses, which means they can only cover short distances and are significantly attenuated by atmospheric conditions and obstacles like buildings and foliage[2][6][8]. This limitation necessitates the deployment of small cells in clusters to ensure adequate coverage for 5G networks[1].

Despite these challenges, the unique properties of mmWave frequencies, such as the ability for spectrum reuse due to short transmission paths and high propagation losses, make it a valuable resource for the next generation of wireless communication systems[2]. The development of new technologies has made it possible to overcome some of the implementation difficulties associated with mmWave, paving the way for its integral role in 5G and beyond[2].

Citations:

[1] https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/millimeter-wave-MM-wave

[2] https://www.rcrwireless.com/20160815/featured/mmwave-5g-tag31-tag99

[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/millimeter-wave

[4] https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/millimeter-wave

[5] https://youtube.com/watch?v=R5oN7oxAdgw

[6] https://www.celona.io/5g-lan/5g-mmwave

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremely_high_frequency

[8] https://www.everythingrf.com/community/what-are-millimeter-waves