MAC Protocols for Terahertz Communication: A Comprehensive Survey

Abstract

Terahertz communication is emerging as a future technology to support Terabits per second link with highlighting features as high throughput and negligible latency. However, the unique features of the Terahertz band such as high path loss, scattering and reflection pose new challenges and results in short communication distance. The antenna directionality, in turn, is required to enhance the communication distance and to overcome the high path loss. However, these features in combine negate the use of traditional Medium access protocols. Therefore novel MAC protocol designs are required to fully exploit their potential benefits including efficient channel access, control message exchange, link establishment, mobility management, and line-of-sight blockage mitigation. An in-depth survey of Terahertz MAC protocols is presented in this paper. The paper highlights the key features of the Terahertz band which should be considered while designing an efficient Terahertz MAC protocol, and the decisions which if taken at Terahertz MAC layer can enhance the network performance. Different Terahertz applications at macro and nano scales are highlighted with design requirements for their MAC protocols. The MAC protocol design issues and considerations are highlighted. Further, the existing MAC protocols are also classified based on network topology, channel access mechanisms, and link establishment strategies as Transmitter and Receiver initiated communication. The open challenges and future research directions on Terahertz MAC protocols are also highlighted.

Terahertz Band: The Last Piece of RF Spectrum Puzzle for Communication Systems

“…Recently, in [30], Chen et al provided a literature review on the development towards THz communications and presented key technical challenges faced in THz wireless communication systems. In [31], from the Medium Access Protocol (MAC) perspective, Ghafoor et al presented an in-depth survey of THz MAC protocols highlighting key features which should be considered while designing efficient protocols. In [32], Tekbiyik et al addressed the current open issues in the design of THz wireless communication systems in terms of hardware, physical channel and network.…”

An Overview of Signal Processing Techniques for Terahertz Communications

“…Having addressed several THz-specific signal processing techniques, it is worth noting that it is both the signal processing and networking problems that are significantly different in the THz band; both are linked to the underlying THz device architectures. Hence, THz-specific medium access (MAC) protocols [334]- [340] need to be optimized jointly with physical layer signal processing schemes, under the constraints of state of the art THz devices. In particular, multiple access and networking paradigms for highly varying THz mobile environments are required.…”

Potential key technologies for 6G mobile communications

“…Terahertz frequency band ranges from 0.1 to 10 THz, which is the last span of radio spectrum and generally considered as a Terahertz Gap. Terahertz band is envisioned to be able to provide with up to Tbps data speed to satisfy extremely high throughput, low latency and completely new application scenarios for 6G [15] [16]. The first project in IEEE 802 towards 100 Gbps, IEEE 802.15d, was approved in March 2014, although there is no commercial plan based on this standard.…”