All-plasmonic sub-terahertz wireless communication link

TL;DR

This paper introduces a high-speed wireless communication system using plasmonic components at sub-terahertz frequencies, achieving 120 Gbit/s over 5 meters.

Contribution

The novel contribution is an all-plasmonic sub-THz wireless link with compact components enabling high data rates and flexible carrier frequencies.

Findings

A 120 Gbit/s data rate was achieved using a 285 GHz carrier frequency over a 5 m free-space link.

Plasmonic components offer a flat frequency response up to 300 GHz and are compact (<50 µm²).

The system demonstrates a large power dynamic range and linear performance.

Abstract

A promising approach to increase wireless capacity is the transition to sub-Terahertz carrier frequencies (0.1–0.3 THz). While traditional high-frequency approaches employ III-V semiconductor technologies, plasmonics is emerging as a potential solution for highest-speed components. In this paper, we introduce an all-plasmonic sub-THz wireless link, utilizing compact (<50 µm²) plasmonic components that exhibit a flat frequency response up to 300 GHz while providing full flexibility in carrier frequency selection. The plasmonic approach offers unprecedented integration potential, compatibility with diverse platforms, and scalable, cost-effective fabrication. To demonstrate its capabilities, we conduct a lab experiment transmitting 120 Gbit/s on a 285 GHz carrier across a 5 m free-space link, validating the system’s linear performance and large power dynamic range. While this first demonstration is constrained in transmission distance, it showcases the transformative potential of plasmonic technology in closing the wireless-optical data-rate bottleneck: The proposed plasmonic converters could provide the capacity expansion needed for future 5G, 6G, and beyond wireless networks, paving the way for high-speed, cost-effective, and scalable sub-THz communications.

This study demonstrates a sub-THz free-space link, achieving 120 Gbit/s across 5 m enabled by compact plasmonic components with >300 GHz bandwidth, paving the way for next-generation scalable wireless networks at high carrier frequencies.

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