The future of wireless communication hinges on Terahertz frequencies

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Our current telecom and optical communication transmission is about to get a major facelift, as a team of scientists in Australia have created a new platform to fine-tune optical communication and photonics technology.

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The scientists involved in this novel project are from four top Australian universities – University of South Wales, Australian National University, University of Adelaide, and University of South Australia – and they were able to use a new transmission wavelength with a higher bandwidth capacity than those used in wireless communication currently, to demonstrate their new system.

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Optical Fibres

When it comes to data transmission, optical fibres stand-out because they transmit encoded data as a microwave radiation. A type of electromagnetic radiation with a lower wavelength, and lower frequencies than light is known as a microwave radiation.

The low gigahertz frequency is the current microwave wireless network bandwidth that is currently operated, and given our present day need for speedy data transmissions, the traditional microwave bandwidths poses serious and obvious limitations, then.

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Terahertz as the future of telecoms

The research of terahertz revealed that it has shorter wavelengths and higher bandwidth capacity for data transmission than the microwaves radiation. It also boasts of a more focused and highly stable signal that reduces the power consumption of mobile towers and improves efficiency of communication stations.

Shaghik Atakaramians, who is an author of the research paper stated;

"I think moving into terahertz frequencies will be the future of wireless communications"

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Pattern of Terahertz waves changes

The way terahertz waves changes when interacting with an object was studied, and in the new study, the scientists used a simple set-up to demonstrate their concept.

Earlier studies by Shaghik Atakaramians and her colleagues suggested that a terahertz source could be produced when a point source is channeled via a subwavelength fibre. The subwavelength fibre has a smaller diameter that radiation wavelength.

To prove their theory, a simple setup which directed terahertz radiation via a narrow adjacent hole of fiber with subwavelength diameter was used. The fibre supported a circulating electric field significant in magnetic induction and terahertz radiation enhancements because it was composed of glass material.

For terahertz devices, a necessary step required in harnessing magnetic light is the terahertz magnetic source, and scientists have been unable to develop the magnetic source.

Shaghik Atakaramians further pointed out that;

"Creating terahertz magnetic sources opens up new directions for us."

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Benefits of the Terahertz magnetic source

The terahertz magnetic source could aid the creation of nano and micro-devices without aany radiation ionization concerns. For instance, a novel adoption of terahertz screenings at security checkpoints at airports could help reveal hidden packages and explosive items as effectively as traditional X-rays. However, the Terahertz screening can do so without the dangers associated with X-ray radiation ionization.

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Conclusion

X-ray screening and scanning have been known to have negative side effects, given the use of radiation in capturing images. Lengthy exposure to the radiation used often results in various forms of medical hazards that ultimately lead to loss of lives due to x-ray exposure, hence, the clamour for a better method of magnetic source screening such as the terahertz source-fibre.

Other advantages of the proposed terahertz source platform using magnetic terahertz relate to the discovery that the terahertz transmission can be enhanced by tweaking the transmission system. Atakaramians, while pointing out that the ability to enhance radiation is not limited to the wavelengths of terahertz, mentioned that;

"We could define the type of response we were getting from the system by changing the relative orientation of the source and fiber."

The director of the research, Shahraam Afshar also opined that;

"The conceptual significance here is applicable to the entire electromagnetic spectrum and atomic radiation sources."

The terahertz frequencies once fully adopted would definitely lead to a new phase of development in the world of nanotech and quantum technology such as quantum signal processing.

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Reference: r1, r2, r3, r3, r4, r5

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