This first-of-its-kind chip architecture, which uses both electronic and light-based components, could pave the way for 6G technology.
The study was published on November 20th. nature communicationsprovides the blueprint for the communications chips needed for advanced radar, satellite systems, advanced wireless networks (Wi-Fi), and even future generations of 6G and 7G mobile technology.
By integrating light-based, or photonic, components into traditional electronic-based circuit boards, the number of researchers has increased dramatically. Radio frequency (RF) bandwidthWhile demonstrating improved signal accuracy at high frequencies.
They created a practical networked semiconductor chip measuring 0.2 x 0.2 inches (5 x 5 millimeters) by sourcing silicon wafers and attaching electronic and photonic components in the form of “chiplets” like Lego blocks. A prototype was constructed.
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Importantly, the chip has also improved the way it filters information.
Wireless transceivers transmit data, and microwave filters built into traditional chips block signals in the wrong frequency range. Microwave photonic filters perform the same function for light-based signals. However, combining photonic and electronic components and effective microwave photonic filters on one chip has been extremely difficult.
But research shows that by precisely tweaking certain frequencies in the often crowded high band, more information can flow through the chip with more precision. This is important for future wireless technologies that will rely on higher frequencies. Because they have shorter wavelengths, they can carry more energy, which equates to a higher bandwidth of data.
“Microwave photonic filters play an important role in modern communications and radar applications, providing the flexibility to precisely filter different frequencies, reducing electromagnetic interference and improving signal quality,” said the research team leader. “We will improve this,” he said. ben eggletonVice-Chancellor (Research) Promoter at the University of Sydney.
Devices that connect to 5G networks, such as smartphones, send and receive data over a variety of radio frequency ranges, from low band (less than 1 gigahertz) to high band (24-53 GHz) in the United States. verizon Said.
Higher frequencies provide faster speeds due to shorter wavelengths and greater energy capacity, but they also increase the potential for interference and disturbances. This is because shorter wavelengths have a harder time penetrating large surfaces and objects, and the signal range is also narrower.
Meanwhile, 5G data speeds in the US average 138 megabits per second. open signal, carriers run their networks in bands ranging from 2 to 4 GHz. Expected to become mainstream by the 2030s, 6G will operate at higher frequencies, from 7 GHz to 15 GHz. Global Systems for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA).
However, for industrial applications, the highest 6G band must be at least 100 GHz and can even reach 1,000 GHz. university of liverpoolspeeds can reach a theoretical maximum of 1,000 Gbit/s.
This means that communications chips need to be built with significantly higher RF bandwidth and advanced filtering to eliminate interference at these higher frequencies. This is where advances in chip architecture can help. Photonics plays a key role in network semiconductor chips used to power 6G devices.
