Plasmonic modulator enabling kilometer-range high-throughput sub-THz links for radio access networks
Juerg Leuthold
Nature Communications, Published online: 18 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72053-z The authors demonstrate a 226-GHz all-photonic wireless link over 1.4 km, achieving a record-high net-rate-distance product of 214.2 Gbits⁻¹ km using broadband photonic/plasmonic components and a dual-sideband receiver that boosts SNR by 2 dB, showing strong turbulence resilience and exciting sub-THz deployment potential.