A research team led by Professor Hyong-Ryeol Park from UNIST’s Department of Physics has presented a technology that can amplify terahertz (THz) electromagnetic waves by more than 30,000 times. This breakthrough, combined with artificial intelligence (AI) based on physical models, will revolutionize the commercialization of 6G communication frequencies.

Collaborating with Professor Jun Sue Lee from the University of Tennessee and Professor Mina Yoon from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the research team successfully optimized a THz nanoresonator specifically for 6G communications using advanced optimization technology. The results of the research are published in the online version. Nano Letters.

By integrating AI learning based on a physical theoretical model, the team enabled the efficient design of THz nanoresonators in personal computers; This was previously a time-consuming and laborious process, even on supercomputers. The team evaluated the efficiency of the newly developed nanoresonator using a series of THz electromagnetic wave transmission experiments.

The results were impressive: The electric field created by the THz nanoresonator exceeded ordinary electromagnetic waves by more than 30,000 times. This achievement represents an incredible efficiency increase of over 300% compared to previously reported THz nanoresonators.

Traditionally, AI-based reverse engineering has focused on designing optical device structures in the visible or infrared regions, which are only a fraction of the wavelength. However, Professor Park explained that the application of this technology in the 6G communication frequency range (0.075-0.3 THz) causes significant problems due to the much smaller scale, which is about one millionth of a wavelength.

To overcome these issues, the research team developed an innovative approach by combining a novel THz nanoresonator with an AI-based reverse engineering method based on a physical theoretical model. This approach enabled device optimization in less than 40 hours, even on personal computers, compared to previously requiring tens of hours for a single simulation or potentially hundreds of years to optimize a single device.

Researcher Young-Taek Lee (UNIST Department of Physics), first author of the study, highlighted the versatility of the optimized nanocavity and noted its implications for ultrasensitive detectors, ultrasmall molecular detection sensors, and bolometric studies. He also added: “The methodology used in this study is not limited to specific nanostructures, but can be extended to different studies using different wavelengths or physical theoretical models of the structures.”

Professor Park emphasized the importance of understanding physical phenomena with artificial intelligence technology and said: “Although artificial intelligence seems to be the solution to all problems, understanding physical phenomena is vital.” Source