  Communication in millimeter wave (mmWave) and even terahertz (THz) frequency
bands is ushering in a new era of wireless communications. Beam management,
namely initial access and beam tracking, has been recognized as an essential
technique to ensure robust mmWave/THz communications, especially for mobile
scenarios. However, narrow beams at higher carrier frequency lead to huge beam
measurement overhead, which has a negative impact on beam acquisition and
tracking. In addition, the beam management process is further complicated by
the fluctuation of mmWave/THz channels, the random movement patterns of users,
and the dynamic changes in the environment. For mmWave and THz communications
toward 6G, we have witnessed a substantial increase in research and industrial
attention on artificial intelligence (AI), reconfigurable intelligent surface
(RIS), and integrated sensing and communications (ISAC). The introduction of
these enabling technologies presents both open opportunities and unique
challenges for beam management. In this paper, we present a comprehensive
survey on mmWave and THz beam management. Further, we give some insights on
technical challenges and future research directions in this promising area.
