64.0 GHz Band
Understanding the 64.0 GHz Band
The 64.0 GHz Band sits incredibly close to the absolute summit of the V-Band Oxygen Absorption Peak (which maximizes at 60 GHz). This means the band is entirely dominated by the physics of atmospheric attenuation.
WiGig Channel 4 (64.80 GHz)
Because the signal is guaranteed to die within a few hundred feet, governments around the world left the massive 57 to 71 GHz block completely unlicensed. The WiGig standard carved this massive block into several huge channels. The 64.0 GHz frequency serves as the baseline for WiGig Channel 4 (centered exactly at 64.80 GHz).
This channel is a staggering 2,160 MHz wide.
- A standard 5 GHz Wi-Fi router uses a tiny 80 MHz channel to push 1 Gigabit of data.
- A 64 GHz WiGig router uses a massive 2,160 MHz channel to effortlessly push 7 Gigabits per second.
- Because the massive channel allows the router to transmit raw, uncompressed data with near-zero latency, 64 GHz is the primary frequency utilized by high-end Wireless Virtual Reality (VR) headsets and high-capacity wireless desktop docking stations.
The Phased Array Requirement
You cannot use a standard 'stick' antenna for 64 GHz. The 4.6-millimeter wave is so fragile that if you broadcast it omnidirectionally, it will instantly dissipate into the oxygen.
To survive the room, a 64 GHz WiGig device uses a microscopic Phased Array. The silicon chip contains a grid of 64 tiny antenna patches. The chip mathematically alters the timing of the 64 antennas to generate a single, highly focused, laser-like beam. The router mathematically steers this invisible beam across the room, tracking your VR headset as you move, perfectly isolating the multi-gigabit signal from any background noise.
Key Equations
The 64.0 GHz Band is an expansive, globally unlicensed millimeter-wave spectrum block situated squarely within the extreme V-Band (operating at a microscopic 4.6-millimeter wavelength). Sitting...
Key specifications:
64.0 GHz | 64 GHz | 802.11 a
Power: P(dBm) = 10log(PmW), 0dBm = 1mW
Comparison
| Band | Range | Wavelength | Application | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64.0 GHz Band | 64 GHz region | 4.7 mm | Primary use | ITU allocation |
| Adjacent lower | 57.6 GHz | 5.2 mm | Related band | Shared spectrum |
| Adjacent upper | 70.4 GHz | 4.3 mm | Related band | Guard band |
| Harmonic 2f | 128.0 GHz | 2.3 mm | Spurious | Filter required |
| Sub-harmonic | 32.0 GHz | 9.4 mm | LO option | Mixer design |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 64 GHz go through a human body?
Absolutely not. The 64 GHz radio wave is completely stopped by human skin (due to the high water content of the body). If you are playing a VR game and a friend walks between the router and your headset, your body will instantly block the beam. Advanced WiGig routers solve this by instantly calculating a new path, bouncing the laser-like beam off the ceiling or a wall to bypass the person and maintain the connection.
Does 64 GHz WiGig interfere with 5 GHz Wi-Fi?
No, they exist in entirely different worlds of physics. The frequencies are so mathematically distant that they cannot hear each other. You can run a massive 64 GHz VR headset right next to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi router, and neither will know the other exists.
Why is 64 GHz unlicensed?
Because it physically polices itself. The FCC usually licenses spectrum to prevent two companies from accidentally jamming each other from miles away. Because the oxygen in the air violently absorbs the 64 GHz signal, it physically cannot travel far enough to jam anyone outside of the immediate room. The FCC deemed it perfectly safe to leave it completely open and unlicensed for public innovation.