Researchers from the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) have unveiled a breakthrough technology: a photonic chip featuring a built-in millimeter-wave radar for future 6G networks, which could redefine the capabilities and design of next-generation devices.

Traditional radar systems face a fundamental limitation: as frequency increases, bandwidth decreases. The CityUHK research team has overcome this challenge through a novel approach that:

• Generates and processes radar signals in the optical domain.

• Leverages the wide bandwidth of photonic systems.

• Integrates the entire system onto a single chip smaller than a coin using advanced photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology.

The prototype has successfully passed testing and is now ready for mass production.

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Key Technical Specifications:

• Frequency Range: V-band (millimeter wave)

• Central Frequency: 45 GHz

• Bandwidth: 10 GHz

• Core Technologies: Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) and thin-film lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) photonics.

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Potential Benefits

Integrating such radar technology into future 6G devices could enable them to:

• Conduct high-precision scans of the surrounding environment.

• Accurately measure the distance and velocity of nearby objects.

• Generate detailed radar images directly within the device itself, such as a smartphone.

A key advantage is the integration of both the signal generator and receiver onto a single chip. This architecture eliminates the need for separate digital-to-analog (DAC) and analog-to-digital (ADC) converters, simplifying the system and reducing costs.

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What key milestones have been achieved so far?

Moving beyond theoretical research, the team has:

• Built a fully operational prototype

• Conducted practical tests to measure the shape, dimensions, and precise distance to objects

• Successfully measured the velocity of a moving object, demonstrated using a toy car

• Confirmed the design's compatibility with cost-effective mass production on standard four-inch semiconductor wafers.

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Why is this important?

This breakthrough technology paves the way for several key advancements:

• Integrated networks that combine communication and environmental sensing.

• New gadget features, such as augmented reality, advanced security, and precise navigation.

• The mass adoption of 6G with built-in radar as a standard component.

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