Millimeter-Wave Phased Arrays for 5G and Beyond

Dear Colleagues,

Millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) phased arrays have rapidly advanced from their early radar roots to become a foundational technology in modern wireless systems, particularly 5G and beyond. By leveraging the inherently short wavelengths and unique propagation characteristics of the mm-Wave spectrum, these arrays enable high-speed, high-capacity communication and facilitate the development of applications such as wireless power transfer and adaptive beamforming. This Special Issue welcomes the submission of original research and comprehensive reviews that address the design, fabrication, and deployment of mm-Wave phased arrays, including antenna architectures, beamforming circuits and ICs, channel modeling, and system-level integration for 5G and future wireless networks. We aim to showcase both theoretical and experimental breakthroughs that highlight the evolving capabilities of mm-Wave phased arrays, as well as identify challenges and opportunities for continued innovation.

The scope of this Special Issue has been consolidated into the following topics:

1. 5G Wireless Networks and Spectrum Considerations
   (e.g., sub-6 GHz vs. mm-Wave bands, frequency reuse, spectrum efficiency)
2. Advanced mm-Wave Antenna Design: Phased Arrays, Beamforming, and Software-Defined Systems
   (e.g., high-efficiency antennas, reconfigurable architectures, beam steering)
3. Massive MIMO, Pattern-Reconfigurable Antennas, and Spatial Multiplexing
   (e.g., multi-user scenarios, capacity enhancement, pattern diversity)
4. Smart Antennas, Adaptive Beamforming, and Interference Management
   (e.g., adaptive algorithms, dynamic interference avoidance, QoS improvement)
5. Millimeter-Wave Propagation and Channel Modeling in Urban Environments
   (e.g., path loss analysis, blockage effects, channel estimation)
6. mm-Wave Transceiver Circuits, Hybrid Beamforming, and Phase Shifters
   (e.g., front-end IC design, LO generation, RF/analog–digital partitioning)
7. Integrated Circuits, Low-Loss Materials, and Thermal Management for High-Power Arrays
   (e.g., specialized packaging, heat dissipation solutions, advanced materials)
8. Fronthaul/Backhaul Solutions and Network Architectures for mm-Wave 5G
   (e.g., high-capacity links, topology optimization, edge computing integration)
9. Intelligent Sensors and Software-Defined Controls in Phased Array Systems
   (e.g., machine learning for beam selection, autonomous calibration, sensor fusion)
10. Wireless Power Transfer, Energy Harvesting, and Pattern Recognition
    (e.g., energy-focused phased arrays, power beaming, advanced sensing applications)

We look forward to receiving your contributions, which will collectively illuminate the state of the art in, and future of, mm-Wave phased arrays for 5G and beyond.

Dr. Rashid Mirzavand
Dr. Mahdi Barati
Dr. Soumendra Singh
Guest Editors

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