Development of functional waveguide for 6G by high-definition 3D printing technology

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H01320
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 21020:Communication and network engineering-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: MIO Norikatsu 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 教授 (70209724)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: THz / 導波管 / 3Dプリンタ / めっき

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have conducted research on a technology that uses the 3D printer RECILS and plating to create waveguides for signal transmission in the 300GHz band, which is essential for the realization of next-generation wireless communication systems such as Beyond 5G and 6G.
As a result, we confirmed that waveguides made with RECILS can achieve propagation characteristics equivalent to those of metal waveguides. Furthermore, we fabricated a waveguide with a coupled resonator structure band-pass filter, and its characteristics matched the simulation results very closely. Additionally, we produced bent waveguides, twisted waveguides, and spiral waveguides, all of which had an insertion loss of less than 1dB per inch.　　This achievement enables us to provide waveguide devices, which are essential for the realization of 6G and even 7G, with high precision, ease of use, and at low cost, ahead of the rest of the world.

Free Research Field

物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

次世代無線通信方式である6G、7の実現に向けた研究開発は、世界各国で競争が激化している。この実現には、100GHz以上の信号を扱うことになるが、金属製ケーブルでは損失が急激に大きくなり、導波管を使用することになる。しかし、この帯域での導波管の作製は非常に困難で、さらに、高価となっている。このような技術課題の解決に向け、3Dプリンタとめっき技術による導波管作製技術の研究開発を進め、本技術は、自由な形状の導波管を安価に作製できることを世界に先駆けて示した。