Abstract
The upcoming 6G technology is expected to operate in near-field (NF)
radiating conditions thanks to high-frequency and electrically large antenna
arrays. While several studies have already addressed this possibility, it is
worth noting that NF models introduce heightened complexity, the justification
for which is not always evident in terms of performance improvements.
Therefore, this paper delves into the implications of the disparity between NF
and far-field (FF) models concerning communication, localization, and sensing
systems. Such disparity might lead to a degradation of performance metrics like
localization accuracy, sensing reliability, and communication efficiency.
Through an exploration of the effects arising from the mismatches between NF
and FF models, this study seeks to illuminate the challenges confronting system
designers and offer valuable insights into the balance between model accuracy,
which typically requires a high complexity and achievable performance. To
substantiate our perspective, we also incorporate a numerical performance
assessment confirming the repercussions of the mismatch between NF and FF
models.