IIT-Delhi’s new device to produce terahertz radiation beyond 6G tech

New Delhi: An international team of researchers led by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi on Tuesday announced the development of a new device that can produce high-frequency radiation beyond the current 6G communication technologies.

“Dubbed a Spintronic Terahertz (THz) emitter, the device operates through a bilayer system composed of ferromagnetic and non-magnetic materials,” said the team from IIT-Delhi’s Centre for Applied Research in Electronics (CARE), and the National University of Singapore, in a statement.

Using a combination of platinum and a layer of cobalt, the team developed a semimetal material in their laboratory to generate high-intensity pulses at the terahertz frequency range.

"Our goal was to create an emitter that not only provides enhanced emission strength but also functions efficiently at room temperature, making it suitable for practical, real-time applications," said Rahul Mishra, Assistant Professor at CARE.

The THz technology holds the potential to revolutionise “medical imaging, enabling doctors to visualise the interior of the human body safely,” explained Professor Samaresh Das.

It can also “facilitate faster and more secure wireless networks, significantly enhancing the speed and reliability of our Internet connections", said research scholar Pinki Yadav.

Their study was recently published in the journal ACS Nano Letters.