Sub-THz Waveform Evaluation in the D-Band: A Proof of Concept Study

The objective of this study is to evaluate different waveform designs under typical hardware impacts and constraints for realizing sub-terahertz (sub-THz) wireless transmission. The assessment of the waveforms is performed using a proof-of-concept (PoC) demonstrator system based on real practical sub-THz hardware operating in the D-band at 144 GHz, with a transmission bandwidth of up to 5 GHz. The setup consists of radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) components specifically designed for the D-band. We examine both conventional waveforms and those with low peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) and enhanced robustness against phase noise, learned through data-driven techniques. The results showcase the feasibility of transmitting the low-PAPR waveforms without EVM degradation, suggesting that high-rate sub-THz wireless transmissions could be a viable option for future communication systems.