A Review of Circuits and Systems for Advanced Sub-THz Transceivers in Wireless Communication

Sub-terahertz (sub-THz) frequencies (100–300 GHz) are gaining prominence in the development of next-generation wireless communication systems, promising ultra-high data rates and wide bandwidths essential for applications like 6G networks and beyond. Despite the immense potential of these frequencies, several design and implementation challenges remain, especially in transceiver architectures, high-order modulation, and beam-forming capabilities. In this paper, we survey recent advances in sub-THz transceiver design, with a particular focus on D-band frequencies. We explore the latest developments in circuit performance and architectures, including innovative transmitter and receiver designs that utilize direct-digital modulation (and demodulation) and phased-array systems. To ensure a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis, this work selects over 100 data points from top-tier conferences and journals, with most publications dating within the past five years, reflecting the state of the art in the field. Meanwhile, we discuss practical challenges, future directions, and opportunities to optimize sub-THz systems for high-speed, high-capacity wireless communication.