Using the Terahertz Spectrum for Wireless Communication

holy_calamity writes "A first step to allowing wireless data transfer over a currently unused part of the electromagnetic spectrum is reported in New Scientist. Terahertz radiation exists between radio and infrared. A new filter created at the University of Utah can filter out particular frequencies, a prerequisite for using it for data. The abstract of the paper in the journal Nature is freely available."

Comments

ridiculously expensive

[evwah]

I regularly work with equipment that produces signals up to 50 GHz and let me tell you... components get much higher in cost the higher in frequency they go. a 3 foot 40GHz cable can cost hundreds of dollars and a 100GHz connector can cost a thousand dollars or more on its own. I imagine that producing and transmitting signals in the terahertz range is not economically viable for most companies.

Re:ridiculously expensive

[markov_chain]

Pshaw, that's nothing. I work with high end audio equipment, and let me tell you, a Hi-Fi 3 foot cable can easily cost several thousand dollars. The 40GHz cable would never be enough, as some people can still hear frequencies in that range.

Re:ridiculously expensive

[sr180]

I see that his joke was above your head by 39.975 MHz or so.

Re:ridiculously expensive

[Profane MuthaFucka]

Are you talking about compact discs? because you can hear vinyl way higher than that.

Re:ridiculously expensive

[Erandir]

I dunno, apparently many companies are already broadcasting in the 450-750 terahertz range, using something called a "light bulb"...

Re:It might just take a while

[Anonymous Coward]

...so communication would have to be rather short-haul as in LAN.

Perhaps TFA should have mentioned that.
 
Wait...

Re:Geek into English.

[rhythmx]

Basically it says that putting the holes in a fractal pattern give much better results than holes in more 'normal' pattern. The rest is Calculus explaining how they can generate patterns that are really good at transmitting a certain frequency.

Sounds really interesting. I wonder if any of this applies to antenna design at average RF.

Re:Hmm,

[NixieBunny]

The microwave spectrum really ends at about 30 GHz, with the frequencies from 30G-300GHz called millimeter wave, and those from 300 GHz up called submillimeter. Terahertz technology is quite in its infancy. There was a terahertz conference last week, so the office I work in was pretty well cleared out. (I work on spectrometers that use what we consider low frequencies, The other thing about terahertz waves is that they behave quasi-optically, being focused by teflon lenses and blocked by cardboard. So it's not a radio band that one would use for cellphones.

Re:It might just take a while

[evilviper]

There is also the slight problem of water absorption of the signal [...] so communication would have to be rather short-haul as in LAN.

Which is EXACTLY what TFA said...

But hey, what do I know, your post is a +5, so it must be somehow insightful, not 100% redundant.

Re:It might just take a while

[NixieBunny]

Are you kidding? you can't do first post if you RTFA!

Re:It might just take a while

[psaunders]

Sounds like NRAO-ALMA.

*sigh* It irks me whenever someone posts an obscure acronym without expanding it. Seriously, it's just rude.

For the uninitiated, that is Nothing Really Amazing in Outerspace - Alien Life My Ass.

Re:Hmm,

[Kenshin]

The other thing about terahertz waves is that they behave quasi-optically, being focused by teflon lenses and blocked by cardboard.

So we can finally ditch the tin-foil hats for cardboard hats? About time!

Re:It might just take a while

[DarkAxi0m]

or... it could be for Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array - National Radio Astronomy Observatory :P

http://www.alma.nrao.edu/

Google can be your friend too.. .

Re:It might just take a while

[Exocrist]

All the better if he's dead on, that just saves the rest of us from having to RTFA!