JNCASR silicon chip breakthrough enables terahertz data transmission for 6G networks

The Press Information Bureau reports that researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have developed a silicon photonic crystal chip that allows terahertz waves to transmit data at 100 gigabits per second across engineered barriers with minimal loss. The team, led by Dr Abhishek Kumar, designed the chip using a honeycomb lattice structure that mimics graphene, with triangular holes arranged to guide terahertz waves along boundaries between regions.

Tests across three device types—including double-barrier configurations, an omega-shaped route with sharp bends, and a power splitter—demonstrated transmission rates between 48 and 100 Gbit/s. A single engineered barrier added only 1–2% signal loss, compared to significant losses in conventional waveguides. The chip was fabricated on high-resistivity silicon, compatible with established semiconductor manufacturing.

Dr Kumar stated that "showing that terahertz waves can cross a barrier created simply by changing the hole geometry, while carrying 100 gigabits per second, suggests that this effect can become a useful design tool for terahertz chips." The team plans next to develop electrically, thermally or mechanically tunable barriers to redirect signals on demand. Results were published in Advanced Materials, with collaborators from IISER Kolkata, IIT Bombay, and international institutions.