USE OF THE 55 - 65 GHz OXYGEN ABSORPTION BAND

FOR SHORT-RANGE BROADBAND RADIO NETWORKS WITH

MINIMAL REGULATORY CONTROL.

PaDer for IEE Colloouium

"RADIOCOMMUNICATION IN THE RANGE 30-60GHz"

April 1989

Authors:

A J Richardson and P A Watson

Department of Electrical Engineering

University of Bradford

INTRODUCT ION
T h e success of analogue cellular radio systems is indicative of the demand for
communication systems not only from the commercial and industrial sector, but also
from private users. Digital systems are becoming available which reflect these new
demands taking advantage of advances in technology in VLSI and in digital signal
processing. In particular pan European digital cellular radio, digital short range radio,
and second generation cordless telephones are examples of new systems planned for
public and private use to be operational through the 1990's.
This new generation of digital radio systems is primarily designed for speech and low
data rate services, and can offer little in satisfying the demands on communication
networks generated by a diverse set of broadband applications such as distributed
computing systems, high $peed data services and video distribution. Usually such
networks are connected at the physical level by cable, either coaxial or optical fibre, but
there are two commonly encountered circumstances where such connections are difficult:
(1) When cable wayleave is difficult and costly.

(2) When particular users have moved to new or temporary accomodation

adjacent to or within a site.
Circumstance (1) may apply to computer local area network, when a railway, waterway
o r motorway divide a site. Alternatively for video distribution at low cost there may be
interest within densely populated urban areas with difficult cable wayleave. Another
application may be on industrial sites, especially chemical or heavy industrial sites where
the establishment of new cable runs is not a trivial matter and may take several months
for implementation. In the modern "electronic office" it is particularly important to
re-establish full internal communica'ions in circumstance (Z), however temporary such
circumstances may be considered.
A solution to these problems is a broadband radio link which achieves the required

performance but at a minimum expense in terms of time and money. For this reason
a n 'off the shelf' communication system requiring a minimum of regulatory control and a
simple infrastructure is desirable. In a n associated report (reference 1) we examine in
detail the factors relevant to achieving this goal. Here we summarize our findings.
POTENTIAL DEMAND A N D SPECTRAL CAPACITY
Models for potential demand are difficult to establish but necessary to scale the
problem. If as a crude model we were t o assume that the traffic generated by such a
system were to be comparable to that of cellular mobile systems, a total of 2,000
channels per re-use would be required. At 10 MHz per channel this would require 20
GHz of spectrum. At the traffic demand for such systems will be limited to the growth
of computer LANS, a better estimate for an upper bound might be to consider demand
within a 10 Km radius urban area. In the foreseeable future this could contain 500 to
1000 private LANS. Taking a reqlrirement of up to 10 radio spur links to each of these
LANS. gives 5 t o 10,OOO channels or 100 GHz of spectrum!. (Initially demand might be
for 10 Mbls systems with 1 blslHz spectral efficiency. Later a demand for
100 Mbls
systems with 2
3 or even 6 b/s/Hz). Taking a 2km re-use cell (not possible in
4GHz of spectrum. Video
conventional bands) could still leave us with a demand for
applications could also make comparable demands on spectrum, Applications here would
include video surveillance systems, industrial inspection systems. T V outside broadcast
multi-camera links and several other private point-to-point or point-to-multipoint video
systems.

Such large amounts of spectrum would not bt available in conventional bands below
infra-red, but several factors affect the use of IR for point-to-point links, not the least
of which is the high susceptibility of such links to heavy rain, fog and snow.

Attention is therefore turned to the millimetre-wave spectrum and in particular the

oxygen absorption band (55GHz4SGHz). which has physical features not present at other
frequencies namely the attenuation by the oxygen molecule. It is shown in [ l ] that this
attenuation can be used in a constructive manner to decrease the r e m distance for point
to point links. In panicular it is noted that the optimum advantage for using the 60
CHI band occurs with links of length 100
2km and re-use distances of a few km.
For shorter links and shorter re-use distances (i.e.
lOOm o r less) t h e advantage of the
oxygen band over other millimetre-wave bands is lost, except perhaps for ease of
coordination of groups of cells on a macro-scale.

FACTORS AFFEC"G

FFEOUENCY PLAN

Four key factors a r e instrumental in establishing a frequency plan as illustrated in fig.1.

These factors have been highlighted in the recent "Green Paper" [2] and have been
evaluated in detail in our study [l] with a view to deregulated or lightly regulated use of
the 57 to 63 GHz band.

hysical Proper&
Absorption Band

Technological

RcgulabrY
Control
Requirements

COnSidSm~OM

Fie.1

Factors Determinina Freauencv Plan

We note at this point that the lack of international frequency coordination p r e n n t s the
design of communication systems with a truly mass market from k i n g created. By
adopting the absorption band for such a deregulated scheme then a universal frequency
plan can be established wherever the oxygen molecule is present. Conclusions specific to
the factors illustrated in fig.1 are now summarized:
Phvsical orooerties of absorotion band

Between 57 and 63GHz 13dB/km excess oxygen attenuation offers significant

frequency re-use prospects for 300m to 2km links.

For path lengths less than 2km fade margins may be built into link budgets to
give 99.99% service availability in the UK climate. This performance is significantly
superior to infra-red links.

Technological considerations

Since monolithic GaAs systems will not be commercially available in these bands for
a number of years and since initially small
medium ( < 50,000) markets may be
addressed, alternative multimetre-wave integrated circuits (MMIC)should be
considered.

Planar MMIC systems, printed on dielectric sheets (which can be manufactured at

low cost) and mounted in metallic housings or IOW cost metal coated plastic housings
form a viable alternative low cost technology.
Oscillator drifts at 60GHz can be kept below SMHz over 40OC a t realistic costs.
T h e use of one oscillator for both transmit and receive, and considerations on
practical diplexer designs lead to the conclusion that a practical seperation of go and
return paths would be 4GHz. viz 57-59GHz receive and 61-63GHz transmit, with a
first IF a t 4GHz.

Taking 1 mWlcm2 as an acceptable flux density for long term exposure, we conclude
that lOOmW sources may be used in a variety of applications requiring antenna gain
40dB. (Higher gain antennas require very accurate antenna alignment,
up to
which conflicts with the aim of achieving cheap and simple links).

Reeulatorv control

Working with the 57

63GHz region will permit a degree of de-regulation not
possible in other millimetre-wave bands below 100 GHz. We propose that the
spectrum could be shared by a variety of applications (data and video) with
limits only on channel width, transmitter power and average spectral density.
Frequencies could be allocated by equipment distributors following a frequency plan
based on 1 km squares on the Ordinance Survey map. A registration form filled
out by the distributor showing owner, location and frequency is all that would be
required.

SYSTEM OPTIMLEATION
T h e four factors considered in our study each affect the achievable channel density per
re-use and the re-use distance in a complex and somewhat interdependent manner. In

214

optimising the overall systems design we have made the following assumptions:

A realistic trade-off between channel density (channels per k m 2 ) and

equipment cost must be reached, recognising that if a market is to be
stimulated,, it must start in modest quantity and remain competitive
against alternative technologies.

Video and data

this, we took a
model. This is
allows migration
increases.

applications can share the same bands. In order to achieve

camer-to-interference threshold of 30dB in our system
generous for low spectral efficiency data applications, but
t o higher efficiencies as interest in -1OOMbls data rates

As an aid to system optimisation, we also completed a detailed system design and built
and tested key components (filters and diplexers). Further information is given in [3].
CONCLUSIONS
Taking into account deregulating interests, characteristics of the 55 - 65GHz oxygen
absorption band, technological factors, safety factors and potential demand. we conclude
that significant potential exists for application of this band in broadband short-range
(-100m - 2km links) for data and video traffic. This band has the following very
significant advantages for these applications:
(1)

The improvement in re-use distance as a result of the oxygen band absorption

offers a hundredfold improvement over conventional bands in the number of channels
available per km2.

(2)

The presence of the oxygen band absorption, eliminates all possibility of long distance
anomalous propagation, restricts interference coordination interest to a few km and
will thus allow a significant measure of deregulation.

(3) As a result of the properties of the oxygen absorption band a significant demand for
We recommend that a part of the
spectrum can be met. with intensive re-use.
band (4GHz at 57-59 GHr and 61-63GHz) be operated in shared use for a number
of broadband applications (inluding high speed data and video, point-to-point or
point-to-multipoint applications), rather than dividing the spectrum up further for
specific applications.
(4)

Taking into account technological, environmental and safety factors, a simple

frequency plan requiring the minimum of regulatory control can be implemented with,
as an initial (low cost) scheme, typically 8 channels per km2 each of 30MHz.
re-using a total of 4GHz spectrum in a 4 km square. Higher capacity with a
greater spectral efficiency can be introduced later as appropriate to meet demand
in specific areas.

W e recommend a minimal regulatory regime, with type-approved limitations on

maximum transmitter power, on EIRP (or antenna gain), on average transmitter
spectral density and an upper limit on channel width.
allocated and registered through distributors.

Frequencies could be

( 5 ) The oxygen band a t 60GHz is a worldwide resource, the technology and the
de-regulated approach should thus address a worldwide market.

We also conclude that entry into these applications is possible with state of the a n
technology, even before monolithic GaAs circuits should make a significant contribution to
reducing costs.

REFERENCES

[1 I

A
I Richardson and PA Watson "Use of the 55-65GHz Oxygen Absorption
Band for Short Range Broadband Radio Networks with Minimal Regulatory
Control. University of Bradford, Dept. of Electrical Engineering
Report No.423 Dec 1988.

PI

Department of Trade and Industry Consultation Document ' T h e Use of the

Radio Frequency Spectrum above 30GHz" London Sept 1988 ISBN

1-870837-00-46.
[31

AJ Richardson and PA Watson "Millimetre-wave filters and diplexers with

application to 60GHz radio systems" To be published.

216