14 DAY TRIAL // The people at Tokyo University, Japan, have done it again: they've broken a record, this time having to do with high-speed wireless communications.
A team from Tokyo University achieved 3 Gbps transfers over a 542GHz wireless connection, which falls under 300GHz-3THz, a band that is part of the terahertz spectrum.
The Tokyo University scientists, led by Dr Safumi Suzuki, used a specially developed RTD (resonant tunneling diode) in order to reach the data rate. It's basically an oscillator that, when vibrating, transmits electromagnetic signals at very high frequencies.
If we were to cite the paper, the exact words would be “researchers from the Tokyo Institute of Technology have demonstrated a direct modulation of the output power of a resonant tunnelling diode (RTD) oscillator and measured its frequency response in the THz frequency range. They have also achieved wireless data transmission at 542 GHz, the first report of wireless communication in this range.”
We used to think the record placed by Rohm back in November 2011 was impressive and, truthfully, we still do.
Nevertheless, the difference between that and this is huge. Rohm managed 1.5 Gbps on a 300 GHz connection, which turns this new feat, 3 Gbps over 542 GHz, into a 100% improvement.
Sure, there are downsides (the maximum range of the connection is 10 meters / 30 feet), but Rohm had similar problems, so they don't really count.
Terahertz communications are the next big step that AT&T and other carriers wish to take in their quest for better wireless communication. That's not just because of the speed, but also because the spectrum is unregulated around the world.
It is the team's belief that THz wireless products will be used by everyone within a decade or so. AV devices and TVs are the most likely to first make use of the technology, for media streaming, due to the distance limit.