A Primer on Near-Field Communications for Next-Generation Multiple Access

Multiple-antenna technologies are advancing toward the development of extremely large aperture arrays and the utilization of extremely high frequencies, driving the progress of next-generation multiple access (NGMA). This evolution is accompanied by the emergence of near-field communications (NFCs),...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the IEEE 2024-09, Vol.112 (9), p.1527-1565
Main Authors: Ouyang, Chongjun, Wang, Zhaolin, Chen, Yan, Mu, Xidong, Zhu, Peiying
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antenna arrays
Array signal processing
Beamforming
Channel models
Extremely high frequencies
Far fields
Information theory
Interference
MIMO communication
Multiaccess communication
Multiple access
Multiple access (MA)
multiple-antenna techniques
Near field communication
near-field communications (NFCs)
Next generation networking
next-generation multiple access (NGMA)
Reviews
Spherical waves
Wave propagation
Wavelengths
Wireless communication
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Summary:Multiple-antenna technologies are advancing toward the development of extremely large aperture arrays and the utilization of extremely high frequencies, driving the progress of next-generation multiple access (NGMA). This evolution is accompanied by the emergence of near-field communications (NFCs), characterized by spherical-wave propagation, which introduces additional range dimensions to the channel and enhances system throughput. In this context, a tutorial-based primer on NFC is presented, emphasizing its applications in multiuser communications and multiple access (MA). The following areas are investigated: 1) the commonly used near-field channel models are reviewed along with their simplifications under various near-field conditions; 2) building upon these models, the information-theoretic capacity limits of NFC-MA are analyzed, including the derivation of the sum-rate capacity and capacity region, and their upper limits for both downlink and uplink scenarios; and 3) a detailed investigation of near-field multiuser beamforming design is presented, offering low-complexity and effective NFC-MA design methodologies in both the spatial and wavenumber (angular) domains. Throughout these investigations, near-field MA is compared with its far-field counterpart to highlight its superiority and flexibility in terms of interference management, thereby laying the groundwork for achieving NGMA.
ISSN:0018-9219
1558-2256
DOI:10.1109/JPROC.2024.3436513