Imagine a future where internet connections are not only lightning-fast but also remarkably reliable, even in crowded spaces. This vision is rapidly approaching reality, thanks to new research on terahertz communications technologies. 
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Imagine a future where internet connections are not only lightning-fast but also remarkably reliable, even in crowded spaces. This vision is rapidly approaching reality, thanks to new research on terahertz communications technologies. These innovations are set to transform wireless communication, particularly as communications technology advances toward the next generation of networks, 6G.

I’m an engineer who focuses on photonics, the study of how light and other electromagnetic waves are generated and detected. In this research, my colleagues and I have developed a silicon topological beamformer chip. Topological refers to physical features in the silicon that help steer terahertz waves, and beamformer refers to the purpose of the chip: forming terahertz waves into directed beams.

Terahertz frequencies are crucial for 6G, which telecommunications companies plan to roll out around 2030. The radio frequency spectrum used by current wireless networks is becoming increasingly congested. Terahertz waves offer a solution by using the relatively unoccupied portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between microwaves and infrared. These higher frequencies can carry massive amounts of data, making them ideal for the data-intensive applications of the future.

Our chip takes a terahertz signal from a single source and splits it into 54 smaller signals, which are then guided through 184 tiny channels with 134 sharp turns. Each beam can transmit and receive data at speeds of 40 to 72 gigabits per second, many times faster than today’s 5G networks.

With the help of artificial intelligence, we designed the chip to have a specific microscopic honeycomb pattern to form lanes for the terahertz waves. The array of channels sends out powerful, focused beams that cover the entire 360 degrees around the chip. This allows a phone or other wireless device anywhere around a Wi-Fi router or other communications device using the chip to receive the high-speed signal. We demonstrated the chip by splitting an input signal of a streaming HD video into four output beams.

Beamformers in wireless networks

Terahertz waves have a shorter range compared with lower-frequency signals used in 4G and 5G networks. Terahertz beamformers address this challenge by precisely directing high-frequency signals to ensure they reach their destination without loss or degradation.

Beamformers are essential for the next generation of wireless communication. Unlike traditional antennas that broadcast signals indiscriminately, beamformers focus signals in specific directions, boosting both efficiency and reliability. Our chip ensures that those beams provide coverage in all directions.

This focused approach not only extends the signal’s range but also improves its quality, even over long distances. Beamformers are likely to be crucial in managing stable connections by reducing interference as the world adds billions of connected devices.

A future with terahertz beamforming

The potential impact of terahertz beamforming chips on everyday life is profound. For example, these chips could make it possible to download a 4K ultrahigh-definition movie in mere seconds compared with 11 minutes over today’s W-Fi, or support immersive virtual and augmented reality experiences without any lag.

Beyond entertainment, they could make real-time holographic communication a reality, where people appear as lifelike holograms. Smart cities could use this technology to seamlessly coordinate traffic systems and emergency responses, while health care could benefit from remote surgeries where doctors control robotic instruments from afar.

The terahertz beamforming chip represents a significant step forward on the path to faster, more reliable wireless communication by overcoming the challenges of high-frequency signal transmission.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

New Delhi:

Centre will play a crucial role in shaping standards and infrastructure for 6G networks worldwide, Dr Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom), has said.

Inaugurating a centre of excellence on 6G at IIT-M Research Park, Chennai, Mr Mittal said this initiative is aligned with the ‘Bharat 6G Vision’ document released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March last year.

PM Modi has envisaged India to be a front-line contributor in the design, development and deployment of 6G technology by 2030.

Mr Mittal emphasised that the initiative aims to create a cohesive and coordinated effort in advancing 6G technology, ensuring that all projects benefit from collective expertise and resources.

The centre of excellence is a sub-centre of Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE)-India which will spearhead the development and deployment of 6G technology, promising unprecedented speeds, ultra-low latency, and enhanced connectivity.

The centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together academic and industry experts to collaborate on cutting-edge projects.

This collaborative environment will foster the development of new applications and services that leverage 6G’s capabilities.

This centre will also facilitate interconnect between the existing 5G Test Bed at IIT Madras which was developed indigenously through a collaborative project involving eight institutes and funded by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

The 5G Test Bed was inaugurated by PM Modi in May 2022 and has since been used extensively by industry and academia for testing new 5G products and use-cases.

The DoT has funded two next-generation testbeds to advance the 6G research.

Under the Bharat 6G Vision, DoT is already evaluating 470 proposals on ‘Accelerated research on 6G Ecosystem’.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Centre will play a crucial role in shaping standards and infrastructure for 6G networks worldwide, Dr Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom), has said.

Inaugurating a centre of excellence on 6G at IIT-M Research Park, Chennai, Mr Mittal said this initiative is aligned with the ‘Bharat 6G Vision’ document released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March last year.

PM Modi has envisaged India to be a front-line contributor in the design, development and deployment of 6G technology by 2030.

Mr Mittal emphasised that the initiative aims to create a cohesive and coordinated effort in advancing 6G technology, ensuring that all projects benefit from collective expertise and resources.

The centre of excellence is a sub-centre of Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE)-India which will spearhead the development and deployment of 6G technology, promising unprecedented speeds, ultra-low latency, and enhanced connectivity.

The centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together academic and industry experts to collaborate on cutting-edge projects.

This collaborative environment will foster the development of new applications and services that leverage 6G’s capabilities.

This centre will also facilitate interconnect between the existing 5G Test Bed at IIT Madras which was developed indigenously through a collaborative project involving eight institutes and funded by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

The 5G Test Bed was inaugurated by PM Modi in May 2022 and has since been used extensively by industry and academia for testing new 5G products and use-cases.

The DoT has funded two next-generation testbeds to advance the 6G research.

Under the Bharat 6G Vision, DoT is already evaluating 470 proposals on ‘Accelerated research on 6G Ecosystem’.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)