Silicon chip advances 6G connectivity

A team of scientists has unlocked the potential of 6G communications with a new polarization multiplexer. Terahertz connectivity represents the next frontier in wireless technology, promising data transmission rates beyond current systems.

Using terahertz frequencies, the system can support unprecedented bandwidth, enabling faster wireless communication and data transfer. However, one of the major challenges in terahertz communications is the efficient management and utilization of available data.

The group has developed the first integrated terahertz polarization (de)multiplexer based on a silicon base that has been successfully tested in the sub-terahertz J-band (220–330 GHz) for 6G communications and beyond.

University of Adelaide Professor Withawat Withayachumnankul from the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering led the team which also included Ph.D. student at the University of Adelaide, Dr. Weijie Gao, who is now a postdoctoral researcher working with Professor Masayuki Fujita at Osaka University.

“Our polarization multiplexer will allow multiple data streams to be transmitted at the same frequency band, increasing the amount of data,” said Professor Withayachumnankul. “This high relative bandwidth is the record of the integrated multiplexers available in each frequency range. If it were to be measured at the frequency between optical communications groups, such a bandwidth could cover all optical communications groups”.

A multiplexer makes it possible for multiple signals to share a single device or device – such as the information of multiple telephone calls carried over a single wire.

The new device that the group has developed can double the communication power under the same bandwidth with less data loss than existing devices. It is produced using manufacturing techniques that make it very cost effective.

“These innovations not only increase the efficiency of terahertz communication systems but also open up a more scalable and reliable wireless technology,” said Dr. Gao.

“As a result, the polarization multiplexer is the one that helps to realize the full potential of terahertz communications, promoting progress in various areas such as high-definition video transmission, augmented reality, and next-generation networks such as 6G.”

The problems that were answered in the work of the group, which were published in this magazine Laser & Photonic Reviews Advances in terahertz technology supported by Photonics.

“Overcoming major technical hurdles, this technology is poised to stimulate interest and research in the field,” said Professor Fujita, co-author of the paper. “We hope that within the next year or two, researchers will begin to explore new applications and improve the technology.”

Over the next three to five years, the team expects to see major advances in high-speed communications, leading to commercial prototypes and early stage products.

“Within ten years, we foresee the implementation and integration of terahertz technologies in various industries, changing sectors such as telecommunications, imaging, radar, and the Internet of Things,” said Professor Withayachumnankul.

This latest polarization multiplexer can be successfully integrated with previous polarization multiplexers on the same platform to achieve advanced communication functions.