Scientists created ultra-fast 6G using curved light rays

The future of mobile data transfer could lie in “bending” beams of light in the air to deliver 6G wireless networks with ultra-fast speeds, avoiding the need for a line of sight between the transmitter and receivers.

In a new study published March 30 in the journal Nature Communications EngineeringThe researchers explained how they developed a transmitter that can dynamically adjust the waves needed to support future 6G signals.

The most advanced mobile communications standard is 5G. It is expected to be thousands of times faster, 6G will begin to be implemented in 2030, according to the trade body GSMA. Unlike 5G, which operates mainly in bands below 6 gigahertz (GHz) in the electromagnetic spectrum, 6G is expected to operate in subterahertz (THz) between 100 GHz and 300 GHz, and in THz bands, just below infrared. The closer this radiation is to visible light, the more likely signals are to be blocked by physical objects. A major challenge with high-frequency 5G and future 6G is that signals need a direct line of sight between a transmitter and receiver.

But in experiments, scientists showed that it is possible to effectively “bend” high-frequency signals around obstacles such as buildings.

“This is the world’s first curved data link, a critical milestone in realizing the 6G vision of high data rate and high reliability,” he said. Eduardo Caballerostudy co-author and professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice University, in a statement.

Related: Scientists create light-based semiconductor chip that will pave the way for 6G

He photonsThe light particles, or light particles, that make up the THz radiation in this region of the electromagnetic spectrum generally travel in straight lines, unless space and time are warped by massive gravitational forces, of the kind that black holes exercise. But researchers discovered that self-accelerating light rays (first demonstrated in 2007 investigation — form special configurations of electromagnetic waves that can bend or curve to one side as they move through space.

By designing transmitters with patterns that manipulate the strength, intensity and timing of signals carrying data, researchers created waves that worked together to create a signal that remained intact even if its path to a receiver was partially blocked. They discovered that a beam of light can be formed that adjusts to any object in its path by mixing data according to an unlocked pattern. So while the photons still travel in a straight line, the THz signal effectively curves around an object.

Leaning towards a 6G future

While bending light without the power of a black hole is not new research, what is significant about this study is that it could make 6G networks a practical reality.

5G millimeter wave (mmWave) currently offers the fastest network bandwidth by occupying the highest 5G radio frequencies between 24 GHz and 100 GHz of the electromagnetic spectrum to deliver Theoretical maximum download speeds of 10 to 50 gigabits (billions of bits) per second. THz rays sit above mmWave at a frequency between 100 GHz and 10,000 GHz (10 THz), which is necessary to deliver data transfer speeds of one terabit per second, nearly 5,000 times faster than average 5G speeds in the US.

“We want more data per second” Daniel Mittlemansaid a professor at the Brown School of Engineering, in a statement. “If you want to do that, you need more bandwidth, and that bandwidth simply doesn’t exist using conventional frequency bands.”

But because of the high frequencies at which they operate, both 5G mmWave and future 6G signals need a direct line of sight between a transmitter and a receiver. But by virtually delivering a signal along a curved path, future 6G networks would not need buildings to be covered in receivers and transmitters.

However, a receiver must be within near-field range of the transmitter for signal shunting to work. When using high-frequency THz rays, this means a separation of about 33 feet (10 meters), which is not good for city-wide 6G, but could be practical for next-generation Wi-Fi networks.

“One of the key questions everyone asks us is how much you can curve and how far,” Mittleman said. “We’ve made rough estimates of these things, but we haven’t really quantified them yet, so we’re hoping to map them out.”

While the curvature of THz signals holds great promise for future 6G networks, the use of THz spectrum is still in its infancy. With this study, scientists said we have taken another step toward realizing cellular wireless networks with unparalleled speeds.

St John Shopon

Us News Update

Scientists created ultra-fast 6G using curved light rays