A survey of millimeter wave backscatter communication systems

Backscatter communication is an emerging low-power communication technology that has been integrated into the Internet of Things (IoT) due to its exceptional self-sustainability. However, conventional backscatter communication (BackCom) technologies often encounter limitations in data transmission rates, making it challenging to meet the growing bandwidth demands of IoT applications. In contrast, millimeter wave (mmWave) BackCom exhibits significant potential for high-speed data transmission owing to its abundant spectrum resources. Therefore, this paper presents a comprehensive survey of the existing literature on mmWave BackCom. We start by introducing the fundamental principles of mmWave BackCom, encompassing its architecture, basic techniques, and foundational knowledge. Subsequently, we review various mmWave backscatter communication techniques proposed in the current literature. Finally, we discuss several applications based on these techniques before finally addressing challenges and open issues associated with mmWave backscatter.