A Tiny 'Rainbow On a Chip' Could Help Supercharge 6G Networks (sciencedaily.com) 27
ScienceDaily reports:
A microchip about the size of a grain of rice can generate a highly organized "rainbow" of light, a capability that could eventually support faster, higher-capacity 6G communications and extremely precise timing for quantum technologies. Physicists at Loughborough University, working with an international research team, demonstrated a system that produces a series of precisely spaced light frequencies. Those optical frequencies can then be converted into multiple high-frequency electromagnetic signals known as millimeter waves.
Millimeter waves are attracting growing interest for future communications because they can provide considerably more bandwidth, giving networks more room to transmit data. A major obstacle, however, has been producing these signals with the precision and stability required for advanced applications... "They could ultimately contribute to faster, higher capacity 6G networks," [said Dr. Luke Peters, of Loughborough University's Emergent Photonics Research Centre], "but the potential goes far beyond communications. These frequencies could also be used in radar systems as well as spectroscopy and astronomical instruments, helping scientists study materials and make extremely precise measurements of the universe.
"These applications are still some way off, and there are challenges to overcome before the technology can be used in real-world systems — but our latest work has tackled a major one..." A microcomb generates an extremely precise set of light frequencies arranged somewhat like the colors in a rainbow, although the light itself is invisible to the human eye. A specialized antenna can then convert those optical frequencies into millimeter waves. Earlier research demonstrated that microcombs could produce a single precise millimeter wave frequency. Generating many frequencies simultaneously could be far more useful because each could potentially serve as a separate channel for transmitting information at the same time. Achieving that, however, requires a microcomb with exceptional stability and signal quality.
In a new Nature Communications paper, the Loughborough led researchers report a system capable of doing exactly that.
Their system connects its chip-based microresonator to a much larger loop of optical fiber where laser light continuously travels through both parts of the system, according to the article.
"The team is now investigating how the microcomb system could eventually move from a laboratory experiment into practical technology."
Millimeter waves are attracting growing interest for future communications because they can provide considerably more bandwidth, giving networks more room to transmit data. A major obstacle, however, has been producing these signals with the precision and stability required for advanced applications... "They could ultimately contribute to faster, higher capacity 6G networks," [said Dr. Luke Peters, of Loughborough University's Emergent Photonics Research Centre], "but the potential goes far beyond communications. These frequencies could also be used in radar systems as well as spectroscopy and astronomical instruments, helping scientists study materials and make extremely precise measurements of the universe.
"These applications are still some way off, and there are challenges to overcome before the technology can be used in real-world systems — but our latest work has tackled a major one..." A microcomb generates an extremely precise set of light frequencies arranged somewhat like the colors in a rainbow, although the light itself is invisible to the human eye. A specialized antenna can then convert those optical frequencies into millimeter waves. Earlier research demonstrated that microcombs could produce a single precise millimeter wave frequency. Generating many frequencies simultaneously could be far more useful because each could potentially serve as a separate channel for transmitting information at the same time. Achieving that, however, requires a microcomb with exceptional stability and signal quality.
In a new Nature Communications paper, the Loughborough led researchers report a system capable of doing exactly that.
Their system connects its chip-based microresonator to a much larger loop of optical fiber where laser light continuously travels through both parts of the system, according to the article.
"The team is now investigating how the microcomb system could eventually move from a laboratory experiment into practical technology."
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Whenever it comes out, it still won't be fast enough, what with more and more devices using cellular data (along with game systems and home media being entirely streaming/cloud data)... eventually so much as checking email will require gigabit to take less than a minute to load.
Re: "working with an international research team" (Score:3)
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-1 Hors sujet
just got the driver for my wifi6 (Score:2)
I seriously think this just creates reasons to upgrade rather than solving problems or making MY life any better.
Like all technology: the way to fix it is always more technology.
Its a self serving cycle for the tech companies, keep chumps on a constant upgrade cycle.
Good for business, questionable for the end users.
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keep moving the goalposts so nobody ever gets anything done
we're just hamsters in a wheel
last year's tech is still just fine, there's nothing in it for you to upgrade, you probably arent even using the full capacity of what you've got.... speed? size? we've had fast enough and big enough for quite a few years now.
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But... if 6G devices are available, that makes tons of money for the cell makers and tower builders, which is all those companies care about.
People will never be satisfied until the cellphone is built into your head and every single person has their own satellite to connect to for data, and AI does everything for you.
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(I'm just using 500M/s as an example)
And, that's the thing... now, the device can receive at 500M/s... can the transmitter send at that speed? Are there real-world applications that require data speeds like that?
"Yay! I can watch 8K videos if I bug my parents to get me a new phone!"
If we're talking cell phones and cellular tablets, can the nearby towers transmit data at 500M/s to each of 20,000 people? Can the tower even be fed data at that high of a speed?
Meanwhile, my Obamaphone Galaxy S9 plays Youtube
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What are you not getting done because someone else is inventing better technology? Did 5G not get rolled out because people are waiting for 6G or something? Are you sitting around eagerly waiting for scientists to stop doing research just so you can start doing whatever it is you're doing?
The really stupid part is both 5G and 6G weren't even about you. The entire set of standard updates were focused on infrastructure and capabilities of back end systems to support more subscribers per cell, the fact that yo
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TFA is about mobile communications, not WiFi. And BTW, WiFi 7 was released over a year ago.
That said, millimeter-wavelength RF is unlikely to be useful for widespread 6G technology because it cannot pass through thick external walls of buildings. I'm surprised TFS didn't mention this "major obstacle." Perhaps this new technology will have a place as an alternative to WiFi within buildings?
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Like all technology: the way to fix it is always more technology.
Its a self serving cycle for the tech companies, keep chumps on a constant upgrade cycle.
What the fuck are you doing on a tech forum like Slashdot?
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Not using a 2400 bps modem to complain about how tiresome new technology is.
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I'm very pro technology, and yet, I can't say they don't have a point - IF the point is that technology often continues to bloat and enshittify rather than optimizing to do more with less. Imagine how much faster the web would be if everyone building sites was still optimizing them like they had to work well for users on 14.4 modems. Please tell me what has been added to the latest version of Microsoft Word that is needed for most users and that wasn't possible in Wordstar in the late 80's. (I'm not saying
Magic / bullshit (Score:2)
Seriously, what are these assholes smoking?
This should be fun (Score:2)
A bunch of people freak out over rainbows on flags and clothes, etc... wait until they find out there are rainbows in their electronics and computer chips. /s :-)
And, of course, those rainbow computer chips will also be in vaccines too... ;-)
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An Executive Order keeping magenta out of red electronics will be dropping in 3, 2, 1...
"precise timing for quantum technologies" (Score:2)
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6G (Score:2)
Cool! (Score:2)
But can the rainbow chip fart a unicorn out of its ass?
All I get is 0G indoors in the hill (Score:2)
Can't wait for 6G to still not reach.