SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - Researchers in South Korea have developed a method to generate ultra-stable high-frequency signals using miniature optical chips to improve the reliability of 6G communications and deep-space exploration. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Monday, May 11, 2026.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) research team, led by Professor Kim Jung-won and Professor Lee Han-seok, used a technology called a micro-comb to produce millimeter-wave signals in the 30 to 300 GHz range. While these high frequencies are necessary for next-generation sensing and radar, they typically suffer from increased noise and instability as the frequency rises.
To address this, the researchers synchronized the micro-comb with a precise optical reference signal to ensure consistency over long periods. This process achieved a frequency stability level of 10-18, representing a level of precision where signal fluctuations are almost non-existent over time.
The study also utilized a physical state known as a perfect soliton crystal to maintain low noise while extending the signal to higher frequency bands. This approach allowed for a timing precision of 3 femtoseconds, or three quadrillionths of a second, which reduces errors in high-speed data transmission.
The technology is expected to enhance data reliability in 6G networks and improve the accuracy of radars used in autonomous driving and defense. It may also facilitate high-resolution astronomical observations, such as the synchronization of signals for black hole research.
"This research is significant because it raises the performance of micro-comb-based signal sources to the world's highest level and expands them to high-frequency bands," Professor Kim Jung-won said. He added that the team is currently working to reach frequencies above 300 GHz.
Researcher An Chang-min and Professor Kim Jung-won served as lead authors for the studies, which were published in the journals Laser & Photonics Reviews and Optica.
(Reference Information)
Journal/Source: Laser & Photonics Reviews / Optica
Title: Optical-to-microcomb stability transfer for ultrastable timing and microwave/millimeter-wave generation
DOI: 10.1002/lpor.71135
Title: Preserving ultralow timing jitter in microcombs with repetition-rate multiplication via perfect soliton crystal formation
DOI: 10.1364/OPTICA.581054
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