Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research have demonstrated data transmission at up to 100 gigabits per second across an engineered barrier on a silicon chip, according to India’s Department of Science and Technology.
The work addresses a practical problem for future terahertz communications: signals can weaken when a compact waveguide bends, branches or encounters abrupt changes. The team used topological photonics to create a boundary channel designed to resist certain kinds of backscattering.
Patterned silicon guides the signal
The device uses triangular holes arranged in a carefully designed pattern within a silicon slab. This creates a photonic crystal that guides terahertz waves along the boundary between two regions. In the reported demonstration, the channel carried data through a deliberately engineered obstacle with little loss.
Terahertz frequencies sit between microwaves and infrared light and offer wide bandwidth, making them a candidate for parts of future 6G networks. The experiment points toward smaller, more resilient terahertz circuits rather than a complete commercial communications system.
Commercialisation still requires engineering work
The result does not by itself solve packaging, power, manufacturing yield, network integration or large-scale deployment. Those constraints will determine whether laboratory performance can become a reliable product.
For India’s emerging semiconductor ecosystem, the near-term value lies in device research, intellectual property and specialised test capability. Commercial impact will depend on repeatable fabrication and partnerships that can move the design beyond the laboratory.
Source: Press Information Bureau, 4 November 2026. This article summarises an official research release; it does not claim commercial readiness. <!-- evening-batch retry marker -->
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