millimeter wave


millimeter wave

[′mil·ə‚mēd·ər ′wāv] (electromagnetism) An electromagnetic wave having a wavelength between 1 millimeter and 1 centimeter, corresponding to frequencies between 30 and 300 gigahertz. Also known as millimetric wave.

millimeter wave

Electromagnetic waves with a wavelength from one to 10 millimeters, which corresponds to spectrum from 30 to 300 GHz. Millimeter wave applications include communications, radar, radio astronomy and the military. The higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength, the narrower the beam and the smaller the antennas. Radio astronomy using millimeter waves dates back to the 1960s, and military deployment began in the 1970s. The first consumer usage was radar-based vehicle collision avoidance in the 1990s. See wavelength, microwave, WiGig and WirelessHD.

FCC Sanctioned Millimeter Wave BandsFrequency RangeLicensed 57-64 GHz V-band No 76-77 GHz Radar No 71-76 GHz E-band Yes 81-86 GHz E-band Yes 92-95 GHz W-band Yes