Terahertz wireless communication in the AI era: from technical challenges to the construction of new digital infrastructure

Abstract

Terahertz waves for 6G are currently regarded as a "Day-2" challenge due to slow 5G adoption and the WRC-2031 timeline. While 3GPP standardization has slowed, research leveraging IEEE 802.15.3-2023[1,2] is progressing to complement mobile networks. Technically, although RF front-ends can achieve 100 Gbps, the lack of practical baseband signal processing chips remains a significant bottleneck; current high-speed results typically rely on offline processing. Overcoming this requires massive investment, necessitating the identification of clear demand. Promising AI-era use cases include wireless mobile backhaul, ultra-spot communications, and high-efficiency wireless data centers. These initiatives aim to establish a new wireless ecosystem alongside 6G.