Terahertz Metamaterial Waveguide with I-Shaped Resonators for Phase and Absorption Modulation

High modulation depth fiber-based modulators working at terahertz (THz) wavelength are of paramount importance for the application of THz communication technology by taking advantages of the low loss, high interference resistance and strong adaptability THz fiber network. Here, we demonstrate a THz modulator based on side-polished THz fiber combined with GaAs film/Au-nanoparticles (Au-Nps). The Au-Nps and the remaining thickness of the side-polishing are careful designed to achieve target resonance wavelengths. The side-polishing region of fiber provides a flat platform for integrating nanostructures to enhanced light-matter interactions which greatly enhances the modulation performance. The experimental results show that this new fiber modulator can achieve the THz wave amplitude modulation under a relatively low irradiation of an external 808 nm laser, with a tunable frequency range of 0.366-1.093 THz and a maximum modulation depth of 99.24%. Besides, resonance frequency can be adjusted by changing the remaining thickness of the device. Moreover, the area of this modulator is only 9 mm<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> which can be easily integrated into THz systems. Therefore, we believe our work will contribute to the developments of high-performance fiber-based THz modulator for applications in THz communication system.

To support extremely high data rates in 6G wireless networks, reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted terahertz (THz) communications have gained much attention in recent years. By manipulating the phase shifts of reflecting elements, the RIS can proactively adjust the wireless propagation environment of THz systems, thereby enhancing the overall throughput significantly. To realize the full potential of RIS-assisted THz systems, an acquisition of accurate channel information is of great importance. However, since the wavefront of the THz electromagnetic signal is spherical, the conventional channel estimation techniques using the planar wavefront assumption suffer from severe performance degradation in the near-field RIS-assisted THz systems. An aim of this work is to propose an efficient channel estimation technique for near-field RIS-assisted wideband THz systems. Key idea of the proposed polar-domain frequency-dependent RIS-assisted channel estimation (PF-RCE) scheme is to estimate the sparse multipath components (i.e., angles, distances, and path gains) of the near-field THz channel by exploiting the polar-domain sparsity and common support properties. We demonstrate from the numerical evaluations that PF-RCE achieves a significant performance gain over the conventional THz channel estimation schemes in terms of the normalized mean square error (NMSE).

The integration of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) for dynamic beamforming in millimeter-wave (mmWave) and terahertz (THz) communication systems represents a transformative approach to optimizing the performance of next-generation wireless networks. These high-frequency bands offer significant bandwidth advantages but present substantial challenges, including high propagation losses, rapid channel variations, and interference in densely populated environments. DRL, with its capability to learn optimal strategies through interaction with the environment, provides an effective solution to these challenges by adapting beamforming parameters in real time. This chapter delves into the application of DRL for dynamic beamforming, focusing on key aspects such as channel state estimation, interference mitigation, and energy-efficient power control. Through a comprehensive review of current advancements, this chapter highlights case studies, the impact of stochastic channel conditions, and the scalability of DRL models in large-scale wireless networks. Furthermore, the chapter explores the trade-offs between exploration and exploitation within the DRL framework, offering insights into overcoming critical obstacles like computational complexity and real-time decision-making in mmWave and THz systems. The potential of DRL to revolutionize beamforming strategies in these frequency bands is immense, paving the way for more reliable, adaptive, and efficient wireless communication systems.

In the development of terahertz (THz) communication systems, the nanoantenna is the most significant component. Especially, the focus is to design highly directive antennas, because it enhances the performance of the overall system by compensating the large path loss at THz and thus improves the signal-to-noise ratio. This paper presents suitable material for nanoantenna design and the advancement in their performance for THz communications. Copper, Graphene, and carbon nanotube materials are used as promising candidates for nanoantenna design. The performance of nanoantennas is carried out by analyzing the properties and behavior of the material at THz. Results show that the Graphene nanoantenna provides better performance in terms of miniaturization, directivity, and radiation efficiency. Further, the performance enhancement of the nanoantenna at THz is studied by dynamically adjusting the surface conductivity via the chemical potential of Graphene using the electric field effect. The performance of the nanoantenna is enhanced in terms of high miniaturization, high directivity, low reflection, frequency reconfiguration, and stable impedance. The THz nanoantennas using Graphene have the potential to be used for THz communication systems. In view of the smart THz wireless environment; this paper finally presents a THz Hypersurface using Graphene meta-atoms. The user-side Graphene nanoantennas and environment-side Graphene Hypersurface can build a promising smart THz wireless environment.

Terahertz (THz) communication is one of the remarkable topics in the field of communication. Terahertz communication, which is one of the promising topics in meeting the rapidly increasing number of devices and the need for data speed and channel capacity, aims to increase the wireless communication frequency band up to terahertz level. When the terahertz frequency is used the wavelength decreases significantly, which causes electromagnetic waves to be more affected by the channel effects. There must be a clear line of sight (LOS) between the transmitter and the receiver in THz communication systems and the electromagnetic wave sent must be highly directive. The use of intelligent reflective surfaces in the terahertz band can provide advantages in the reflected wave being more directive. In this study, different Intelligent Reflective Surface designs in the literature are implemented and a performance comparison is presented in terms of beam characteristics.

The paper presents the prototyping of a high-order modulation (64-QAM) terahertz (THz) communication system over 100 Gbps. To begin with, the channel capacity and spectrum efficiency of a THz link are analyzed based on Shannon’s theorem and the state of the art technology. Then, a Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) frequency multiplier and a secondary harmonics mixer are designed and manufactured. Finally, we prototype the THz communication system and realize the transmission data rate over 100 Gbps with 64-QAM in lab. The test results in our study paves the way towards the fulfillment of the broadband and large capacity required by future sixth-generation (6G) mobile communication systems.

High-resolution, wide-bandwidth optical spectrum analysis is essential to the measuring and monitoring of advanced optical, millimeter-wave, and terahertz communication systems, sensing applications and device characterization. One category of high-resolution spectrum analyzers reconstructs the power spectral density of a signal under test by scanning a Brillouin gain line across its spectral extent. In this work, we enhance both the resolution and the optical rejection ratio of such Brillouin-based spectrometers using a combination of two techniques. First, two Brillouin loss lines are superimposed upon a central Brillouin gain to reduce its bandwidth. Second, the vector attributes of stimulated Brillouin scattering amplification in standard, weakly birefringent fibers are used to change the signal state of polarization, and a judiciously aligned output polarizer discriminates between amplified and un-amplified spectral contents. A frequency resolution of 3 MHz, or eight orders of magnitude below the central optical frequency, is experimentally demonstrated. In addition, a weak spectral component is resolved in the presence of a strong adjacent signal, which is 30 dB stronger and detuned by only 60 MHz. The measurement method involves low-bandwidth direct detection, and does not require heterodyne beating. The measurement range of the proposed method is scalable to cover the C + L bands, depending on the tunable pump source. The accuracy of the measurements requires that the pump frequencies are well calibrated.

This letter presents the first large-scale real-world evaluation for using LiDAR data to guide the mmWave beam prediction task. A machine learning (ML) model that leverages LiDAR sensory data to predict the current and future beams was developed. Based on the large-scale real-world dataset, DeepSense 6G, this model was evaluated in a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication scenario with highly-mobile vehicles. The experimental results show that the developed LiDAR-aided beam prediction and tracking model can predict the optimal beam in 95% of the cases and with around 90% reduction in the beam training overhead. The LiDAR-aided beam tracking achieves comparable accuracy performance to a baseline solution that has perfect knowledge of the previous optimal beams, without requiring any knowledge about the previous optimal beam information and without any need for beam calibration. This highlights a promising solution for the critical beam alignment challenges in mmWave and terahertz communication systems.

The area of Terahertz (THz) is one of the fastest growing research fields in recent years. THz antennas based upon photoconduction techniques are the most common devices in THz systems. However, the radiated THz power from these devices and the efficiency are very low. Also, different antenna excitation and current generation process in THz antennas, as compared to microwave antennas, requires new analyses approaches. Therefore, the motivation of this thesis is to theoretically establish why the THz antenna is inefficient; from which, general methods to improve the performance of such antennas are explored and validated. These investigations are essential to gain a better understanding of THz photoconductive antenna performance. In this research a new equation for the source conductance of a THz antenna is firstly developed. This is a prerequisite for further antenna radiated power analysis. Next, a new equivalent circuit, modelling the underlying physical behaviour of the device through the use of a lumped-element network, is developed. Through this model, various factors which affect the radiated power and efficiency of the THz photoconductive antenna are examined and compared with measurement results. This model can be applied to maximize the optical-to-THz conversion efficiency. Also, temporal voltage behaviour of the antenna can be predicted more realistically. Furthermore, a computational simulation procedure, solving both optoelectronic and electromagnetic problems, is proposed and validated by measurement results. This approach facilitates prediction of THz photoconductive antenna performance before antenna fabrication. In addition, considering the requirement of high THz power and good SNR devices for various THz applications, a new top loaded THz antenna embedded on a conical horn with the trapezoidal photomixer is proposed. The generation of THz photocurrent, impedance matching and coupling of the THz wave to air (the necessary factors for power enhancement) are improved. Moreover, the new trapezoidal photomixer is examined and the measurement results show that it has better radiated THz power and SNR than the bare gap and rectangular photomixers.

A modified single-polarization THz fiber with epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) material

This paper presents a comprehensive review of integrated terahertz (THz) and free-space optical (FSO) communication systems, focusing on their potential to address the escalating demands for high-capacity, long-distance, and ultra-reliable transmission in future six-generation (6G) and space–air–ground integrated networks (SAGIN). The study systematically examines recent advancements in three critical areas: channel modeling, transmission performance, and integrated system architectures. Specifically, it analyzes THz and FSO channel characteristics, including attenuation mechanisms, turbulence effects, pointing errors, and noise sources, and compares their complementary strengths under diverse atmospheric conditions. Key findings reveal that THz communication achieves transmission rates up to several Tbps over distances of several kilometers but is constrained by molecular absorption and weather-induced attenuation, while FSO offers superior bandwidth-distance products yet suffers from turbulence-induced fading, posing significant reliability challenges. The integration of THz and FSO through adaptive switching strategies (e.g., hard and soft switching) demonstrates enhanced reliability and spectral efficiency, with experimental results showing seamless data rates exceeding Tbps in hybrid systems. However, challenges persist in transceiver hardware integration, algorithmic optimization, and dynamic resource allocation. The review concludes by identifying future research directions, including the development of unified channel models, shared architectures, and intelligent switching algorithms to achieve robust integrated communication infrastructures.

Performance analysis of RIS-assisted V2V communication under multipath interference

Metasurfaces, the two-dimensional counterpart of metamaterials, enable an unprecedented capability in manipulating the phase, polarization and amplitude of electromagnetic waves. Here, we have proposed and experimentally demonstrated an approach to realize terahertz multi-foci metalens with polarization-rotated focal points. The THz polarization-dependent imaging is demonstrated based on the multi-foci metalens. In addition, the THz metalens with asymmetric focusing that can unidirectionally focus the incident THz waves into focal point was also designed and experimentally demonstrated.

A new scheme to realize terahertz (THz) radiation generation, as well as high-speed THz modulation, for future high-speed THz communication systems, is proposed and discussed. The proposed experimental scheme includes two elemental parts: dual-wavelength mode-locking oscillating cavity and photomixing elements. The conditions for double-wavelength operation using the proposed experimental setup have been theoretically discussed and obtained. The mode-locked output optical short pulses with two highstability wavelengths are obtained and demonstrated. These can be used to produce THz radiation, as well as high-speed signal modulation, through the photomixing effects in an ultrafast oxygen-ion-implanted and epitaxial InGaAs:O for the future high-speed THz communication systems.

Tera-Hertz (THz) transmission can offer several attractive applications, yet developing low-cost energy-efficient THz devices is at an early stage. The most promising low-cost THz transmitter architecture in the literature is the so-called frequency-multiplier-last architecture but it is incapable of transmitting quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) due to the architecture's inherent nonlinear distortions. We study such nonlinear THz communication systems by incorporating the nonlinearity aspects of the low- cost THz devices into the signal model. Then we propose novel pre-compensation schemes to compensate the nonlinearity effect, thus enabling QAM-capable frequency-multiplier-last architecture for THz systems. Numerical results show that the proposed pre-compensation schemes overcome the prominent problems experienced in the existing scheme, namely severe nonlinear distortions of the modulation symbols as well as spectral spreading and/or large spectrum sidelobes.