New findings show cobalt ferrite resonates with terahertz waves, enabling future high-speed wireless tech
Russian researchers have demonstrated that cobalt ferrite can interact effectively with terahertz radio waves. The discovery was reported by the press service of Moscow State University, highlighting a potential path for advanced communication systems.
In wireless communication there is a clear trend: as the carrier frequency rises, more information can be sent within the same time frame. This is why each new generation of mobile networks—3G, 4G, and 5G—uses higher frequencies. Experts anticipate that the next milestone, sometimes described as 6G, could operate around 100 GHz, unlocking data transfer rates that are many times faster than today’s Wi‑Fi. Realizing this potential hinges on materials that can both emit and receive such high-frequency waves.
Materials capable of interacting with high-frequency electromagnetic radiation must respond to it in a resonant way. A practical method to translate incoming radiation into an electrical signal is through electron resonance within the material. That makes materials with fast electron spin dynamics especially attractive for this purpose.
Researchers led by Evgeny Gorbachev have shown that cobalt ferrite fits this role as a resonant medium. Cobalt ferrite has long been known to chemists, but its full properties were not well understood. The new work demonstrates that when cooled, cobalt ferrite can resonate at frequencies up to 350 GHz without applying any external magnetic field. That performance level is remarkable and sets a new benchmark for this class of materials.
Looking ahead, the team suggests that future radio transceivers designed for high-speed 6G networks could be built using cobalt ferrite or closely related materials. Such devices would handle the challenge of operating at terahertz frequencies while maintaining practical control of the signals they generate and receive.
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