Chinese and American engineers have unveiled a 6G chip capable of reaching speeds beyond 100 Gbps, which is roughly 10 times faster than 5G‘s maximum potential and about 500 times quicker than current average 5G speeds.
While the deployment of 6G networks is not anticipated before the 2030s, the industry must establish the foundational work now.
A Single Chip Spanning 0.5 to 115 GHz
Scientists from Peking University, the City University of Hong Kong, and the University of California, Santa Barbara, have developed a new, highly efficient chip that achieves speeds previously only seen in a few prototypes.
Despite its tiny size of 11 by 1.7 millimeters, the chip operates across an ultrabroadband frequency range from 0.5 GHz to 115 GHz. This feat requires it to cover nine different radio bands, a task that typically demands a wider array of components.
Transforming Radio to Light for 100+ Gbps Speeds, Far Beyond 5G’s Limits
This process uses an electro-optic modulator to transform radio signals into light. Conversely, optoelectronic oscillators on the chip produce ultra-wideband radio frequencies.
This enables the new chip to achieve speeds exceeding 100 Gbps. In contrast, while 5G’s theoretical maximum is 10 Gbps, its real-world performance is significantly slower, with U.S. providers typically offering average speeds of just 150 to 300 Mbps.
Though significant infrastructure development remains, 6G is inevitable. Experts expect this technology to arrive within the next decade to meet our soaring data demands, driven by UHD streaming and the pervasive integration of AI.
Read the original article on: Sciencealert
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