By Melissa Daniels | Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:48 am
Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered a way to make smartphones 1,000 times faster using "terahertz" bandwidth, which may provide relief for the spectrum crunch.The research is just wrapping up, but it offers a glimpse into a solution for the spectrum crunch. Getting away from gigahertz may be the first step, not only out of progress but necessity, as consumers increasingly rely on bandwidth for data-hungry devices. Though many pieces would need to come together before it's implemented for widespread use, the development hints at an alternative solution to the traditional spectrum problem.
Scientists on the research team developed a frequency comb that spans 100 terahertz bandwidth, using the sliver of electronic spectrum between infrared and microwave light. By exploring "a silicon-based optical modulator" in the terahertz bandwidth range, the research discovered benefits in taking advantage of a different band of spectrum.
"The ability to modulate light with such a bandwidth may increase the amount of information carried by more than 1,000 times when compared to the volume carried with today's technologies," said Hrvoje Petek, physics and chemistry professor at University of Pittsburgh who led the research team. "Needless to say, this has been a long-awaited discovery in the field."
Bandwidth issues plague carriers and customers alike as millions of people increasingly rely on smartphones, as well as tablets. Mobile carriers are trying to find ways to compensate for ever-shrinking amount of bandwidth, either by throttling users, charging developers for creating data-heavy apps or creating paths around bandwidth limitations like turbocharge options.
But using terahertz bandwidth promises to surpass the difficulties of gigahertz spectrum models. The potential shows progress for the mobile industry at a time when technological developments are surpassing the infrastructure they were built on.
Before data downloads happen in the blink of an eye, however, the infrastructure of the mobile industry would need to drastically adapt. Aside from reorganizing spectrum regulation at the federal level and carriers switching their resources to a new spectrum, manufacturers would be charged with creating progressive devices that may receive data transmissions from the terahertz frequency region.
Researchers taking the lead on new discoveries for today's technology is one way the mobile industry might find answers to the spectrum crunch question. In the case of University of Pittsburgh's terahertz team, their work may find a way around this problem while launching faster speeds that use highly charged resources yet to be tapped, opening new doors for the communications industry.
Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:13 pm | By Scottish scientists are developing an app converting sign language into text, showcasing mobile technology's capacity to evolve communication.
Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:04 pm | By AT&T is expanding its LTE service, and Tim Cook sold off more of his stock in Apple. Meanwhile, Verizon had some sporadic outages, Apple denies Proview's claims on its iPad name and Twitter snapped up Posterous, a blogging platform.
Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:57 pm | By Anonymous hackers struck the Vatican again, wreaking havoc despite ongoing arrests, defectors and rogue members that risk impairing future operations.
Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:42 pm | By Yahoo is suing Facebook over alleged patent infringement, opening up untested legal territory as the social network goes public.
Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:46 pm | By Apple's is reducing the price of the iPad 2 with the release of the new iPad, boosting the company's educational initiatives by making tablets more affordable for schools.
Editorials & Opinion By Kat Asharya
The Justice Department approved the $4.5 billion purchase of over 4,000 Nortel patents to major Android rivals like Apple and RIM, guaranteeing no end in sight to the legal battles entangling the mobile industry. 
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