Terahertz waves to help bounce wireless communication in next generation: Study

New Jersey : Researchers from Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science have discovered a new way out to enhance wireless communications with the use of a programmable surface, called a metasurface.
Assembling tiny chips into unique programmable surfaces, Princeton researchers have created a key component toward unlocking a communications band that promises to dramatically increase the amount of data wireless systems can transmit.
The programmable surface, called a metasurface, allows engineers to control and focus transmissions in the terahertz band of the electromagnetic spectrum. Terahertz, a frequency range located between microwaves and infrared light, can transit much more data than current, radio-based wireless systems.
With fifth-generation (5G) communications systems offering speeds 10 to 100 times faster than the previous generation, demand for bandwidth is ever increasing. Facing the emergence of technologies such as self-driving cars and augmented reality applications, the terahertz band presents an opportunity for engineers seeking ways to increase data transmission rates.
Unlike radio waves, which easily pass through obstructions such as walls, terahertz works best with a relatively clear line of sight for transmission. The metasurface device, with the ability to control and focus incoming terahertz waves, can beam the transmissions in any desired direction. This can not only enable dynamically reconfigurable wireless networks but also open up new high-resolution sensing and imaging technologies for the next generation of robotics, cyber-physical systems, and industrial automation.
The study published in Nature Electronics, says because the metasurface is built using standard silicon chip elements, it is low-cost and can be mass-produced for placement on buildings, street signs, and other surfaces.