Chinese researchers have built the world’s first “all-frequency” 6G chip, capable of mobile internet speeds above 100 gigabits per second, according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). The breakthrough could help close the digital gap between rural and urban communities by extending coverage across the entire wireless spectrum.

The team, led by scientists from Peking University and City University of Hong Kong, integrated the entire spectrum from 0.5 GHz to 115 GHz into a thumbnail-sized chip. Traditionally, such coverage required nine separate radio systems.

The chip, measuring just 11mm by 1.7mm, consolidates millimetre-wave and terahertz communications with low-frequency microwave bands.

This allows seamless switching between frequencies that suit both remote coverage and high-speed applications.

“There is an urgent need to tackle 6G development challenges,” said Professor Wang Xingjun of Peking University, as quoted by China Science Daily. “As the demand for connected devices grows rapidly, next-generation networks must leverage the strengths of different frequency bands.”

High frequencies offer massive bandwidth and ultra-low latency, useful for applications such as virtual reality and surgical procedures.

Lower bands provide wide-area coverage, critical for reaching remote mountains, undersea locations, and even outer space.

Photonics at the core

Conventional wireless hardware works within a narrow range, creating high costs and complexity when multiple systems are needed. The researchers turned to photonic-electronic fusion to overcome this barrier.

A broadband electro-optic modulator converts wireless signals into optical ones. These are processed through photonic components, while transmission uses frequency mixing between tunable lasers.

All functional units are packed into the small chip.

Communication quality stayed stable across the entire spectrum during testing.

The system achieved 6 GHz frequency tuning in 180 microseconds, hundreds of times faster than a blink. Its single-channel data rate exceeded 100 Gbps.

By comparison, average rural mobile speed in the United States is about 20 megabits per second, according to industrial estimates.

“The system can rapidly, accurately and noiselessly generate communication signals at any frequency within the 0.5-115 GHz range,” reported Guangming Daily.

The chip also features “frequency-navigation,” which shifts to a clear channel when interference occurs. “Should any band face interference or blockage, the system can automatically and instantly hop to a clear channel – like a seasoned driver smoothly changing lanes in traffic – ensuring continuous and uninterrupted communication,” said Professor Wang Cheng from CityU.

AI-ready and multipurpose

Professor Shu Haowen of Peking University said the device achieves “multipurpose programmability and dynamic frequency adjustment,” striking a balance between size, power use, and performance.

That makes it suitable for crowded areas like concerts or stadiums, where thousands of devices connect at once.

Wang Xingjun said the chip also establishes the hardware base for AI-native networks. “For the first time, it establishes a hardware foundation for a truly ‘AI-native network’ – one that can dynamically adjust communication parameters via built-in algorithms to cope with complex electromagnetic environments, all while performing real-time environmental sensing,” he told Guangming Daily, as quoted by SCMP.

The researchers now aim to create plug-and-play communication modules, no larger than a USB stick.

These could be embedded in smartphones, base stations, drones, and Internet of Things devices, potentially speeding up the arrival of flexible, intelligent 6G networks.

The study is published in Nature.