Ranjan Singh, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, has unveiled a groundbreaking terahertz antenna that could dramatically reshape wireless communication. This innovative device, which achieves data rates of 72 gigabits per second, embodies Singh’s vision for TeraFi—terahertz Wi-Fi that promises speeds far beyond today’s standards for homes, offices, and data centers.
Today, Singh is at the forefront of creating wireless networks of the future, or what’s called sixth-generation networks, or 6G. These networks will be able to reach terabit-per-second speeds by harnessing frequencies in the terahertz range. Manufacturing the antenna The newly developed antenna — described as a new device of topological protection — This design enables it to leak its signals outward in a very controlled, three-dimensional pattern, dramatically improving its efficiency and coverage.
Revolutionary Design and Performance
Singh’s team designed the terahertz antenna to maximize radiation efficiencies—up to 90 and 100 percent. This enables almost every terahertz signal passing through the chip to be emitted in a highly defined, controllable shape. This design truly represents a giant step in the right direction! It’s able to do this with data speeds around 275 times faster and about 30 times more coverage in 3D space, when compared to previous non-topological terahertz antennas.
The creative silicon chip with adjacent perforated rows of triangular holes that are 264 micrometers wide and 99 microns tall. This novel architecture allows the technology to rapidly stream uncompressed HD video with ultra-low latency. Simultaneously, it keeps an extraordinarily high-speed wireless wire, at 24 gigabits per second.
“What makes this work different is that it achieves wide coverage, high speed, and multi-link capability without making the system more complicated.” – Ranjan Singh
That design simplicity has proven indispensable for real-world applications. Singh points out that most prior terahertz systems relied on complex antenna arrays. On top of that, they threw in mechanical beam steering and highly specialized components. His approach addresses these challenges by embedding beam control into the chip’s very structure, improving its robustness and scalability.
Applications and Future Potential
Along with its extraordinary data transmission potential, Singh sees sensing as one of the biggest future opportunities for terahertz technology. He hopes for networks of devices to collaborate in a coordinated, harmonious way, taking the possibilities of wireless communication to the next level.
The antenna’s high and wide spatial coverage facilitated flexible, robust long-range wireless links. Further, this creates a continuous connection, even in cases of device mobility or misalignment. This ability becomes critically important when considering users in uncontrolled environments where they often shift location or pose as they move and interact with their environment.
“Wide spatial coverage allows wireless links to remain flexible and robust, even as devices move or align imperfectly.” – Ranjan Singh
Moreover, as Singh points out, earlier technologies could in theory do the same two-way communication. They would need much more complex designs and much more tightly controlled experimental environments.
Looking Ahead
Singh’s cutting-edge approach to community engagement at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, is one particularly remarkable example. It gets us much closer to realizing the revolutionary applications of terahertz technology. With a successful demonstration of this new antenna’s capabilities behind him, his sights are set on pioneering even more sophisticated wireless communication systems.
“We’ve built beam control directly into the chip’s structure instead of relying on fragile external components. That makes the system inherently robust and scalable—more than a laboratory curiosity, but a practical path forward.” – Ranjan Singh