An ultra-fast 6G wireless communication system has transmitted data at 112Gbps using ultra-high-frequency 560GHz radio waves.

As the successor to 5G technology, 6G promises ultra-high-speed connectivity, ultra-low latency and AI integration to power smart cities, advanced healthcare and next-generation industrial automation. 

To achieve this, 6G networks will need to operate across a range of frequencies, from standard microwaves to much higher frequency terahertz waves. 

Conventional electronic technologies face limitations when generating stable high-frequency signals above 350GHz. As these very high radio frequencies are notoriously difficult to generate and control reliably they hinder the development of ultra-high-speed wireless communications in the terahertz range. 

A key issue is phase noise – short-term distortions in a signal’s frequency to timing – which increases significantly at these higher frequencies.

To overcome this, researchers at Tokushima University, Japan, developed a photonic wireless communication system that uses microcombs (microresonator frequency combs) to generate ultra-high-frequency terahertz signals. Photonic wireless transmission combines optical technology with wireless communications, using light-based systems to create highly stable radio signals while microcombs are tiny, chip-scale optical devices that convert a single laser into a spectrum of many precise, evenly spaced frequencies of light. As these optical signals are so stable, microcombs exhibit very low phase noise, helping to enable reliable ultra-high-speed wireless communication.

The system combines a microcomb device with a fibre-coupled microresonator. By directly bonding an optical fibre to the microresonator, the researchers eliminated the need for extremely precise optical alignment, allowing for a very small yet stable system. 

Temperature controls were also integrated into the system to help maintain consistent performance and enable it to operate more reliably under environmental temperature fluctuations.

During lab experiments the researchers were able to send data wirelessly at 112Gbps over a 560GHz band, far beyond the capabilities of today’s conventional terahertz communication systems at these frequencies. According to the researchers, their experiment demonstrates for the first time 100Gbps-class wireless communication beyond 420GHz.

In the experiment, the researchers used the microcomb system to generate two highly stable optical signals, which were converted into a 560GHz terahertz wireless signal for transmission through the air. Successfully transmitted, the wireless signal was then recovered and decoded at the receiver.

“This result represents a major step toward practical 6G wireless systems and ultra-high-speed mobile backhaul,” said Professor Takeshi Yasui of Tokushima University.

The researchers say that future work will focus on further reducing phase noise, enabling higher-order modulation formats and extending transmission distance through improved terahertz output power and antenna design.

Their study – ‘Beyond 350 GHz: Single-channel 112 Gbps photonic wireless transmission at 560 GHz using soliton microcombs’ – has been published in the journal Communications Engineering.

There is currently significant research being carried out into 6G. For instance, last year a team of Chinese scientists from Peking University and the City University of Hong Kong announced that they had developed a single ‘all-frequency’ 6G chip that achieves 100Gbps internet speeds. 

In March 2026, Ericsson revealed it had carried out the world’s first 6G over-the-air trials after the technology was used to control AI-powered robots and conduct real-time video streaming.