The future of Internet connectivity is 6G, but, at the moment, technology has not advanced enough to be able to foresee a time when 5G will become obsolete. This has changed in the last few hours with the creation of a new device that will be able to exploit the full potential of this type of network with speed levels far superior to what was imaginable.
6G networks will be revolutionary and will once again change everything about the way we connect or use technology online. But in order for them to be usable and to meet the standards that have been set for them to reach, they will need to have the right resources. Until now, this has been one of the big stumbling blocks in the way of 6G, but thankfully that has just changed.
A new device has the answer
A team of specialists from different countries has been able to manufacture a polarization multiplexer that has the particularity of being based on silicon and with which it is possible to work at THz frequencies. The most important thing is that this new device opens new avenues for exploring the possibilities of 6G networks thanks to the fact that it allows two data emissions to be transmitted simultaneously using the same band.
To do this, what the device does is allow the transfer of that data to be done in different polarizations of the electromagnetic wave. In practice, and leaving all the jargon aside, this will mean that the channel used for data transmission via 6G will double its capacity. The effect of this will be a huge leap in terms of the demands that technology connected to the Internet will have in the coming years.
A good design after many attempts
This is not the first time that a successful attempt has been made to create a polarization multiplexer like this. Experts have long been aware that they need this technology to meet the needs they will encounter in the coming years. But until now, all the designs that had been used to conceive the multiplexer had failed or had not produced results as good as those obtained in this case. Taking into account the work done previously, the limits that had already been reached and the future requirements, this team tried something different.
Their idea was to use what are known as conical and medium directional couplers made of air and silicon. The idea was revolutionary and, as they have proven, it has ended up becoming the answer to all the needs they have had for years. The results of the tests with the device are clear: a bandwidth of between 225 and 330 GHz has been achieved. But the best of all is not only the speed, but also that they have managed to avoid the problems suffered by other devices previously.
The main one is the signal loss, something that in previous terminals was a significant burden that was difficult to overcome. In this new proposal, the loss is adjusted to an average of 1 dB, so it does not end up being significant. In addition to this, the device solves other problems, such as size. Unlike other multiplexers, this model is compact and of reduced dimensions. In addition, it has no problems operating in all the frequencies that are going to be used with a wide range of services, tools or applications.
Due to its characteristics, this multiplexer can be easily added to existing installations and can thus begin to provide all its advantages. Today, speeds of 190 Gbit/s have been achieved, which opens the door to the successor network of 5G with levels of efficiency that are already significantly higher. Professionals want to accelerate this development and adoption of a device like this because they know that, in a few years, 6G will be essential.
Only through its speed and technology will it be possible to provide the necessary network for services such as smart cities, communication through the use of holograms or the incorporation of artificial intelligence into our daily lives that will be able to do a lot for us. All of this will require very demanding connections and, to do so, 6G will have to make use of its best configuration possibilities. For now, this multiplexer does not seem to be the definitive one, but rather it will be the model that helps to continue improving the technology. There is still time for the adoption of 6G and, in the meantime, these specialists want to make sure that they can create the best devices imaginable.