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China's terahertz testing system withstands extreme Antarctic weather
CGTN
The expedition team set off for China's 39th Antarctic scientific expedition in the Antarctic from Shanghai, east China, October 31, 2022. /CFP
The expedition team set off for China's 39th Antarctic scientific expedition in the Antarctic from Shanghai, east China, October 31, 2022. /CFP

The expedition team set off for China's 39th Antarctic scientific expedition in the Antarctic from Shanghai, east China, October 31, 2022. /CFP

China has successfully conducted observation and communication testing of its self-developed terahertz system in the extreme Antarctic weather, Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said on Monday.

The terahertz band is significant to observing astronomical objects, such as cosmic microwave background, early distant objects, cold objects and dusty objects.

The first terahertz signal sending and receiving test in the kilometer-level 0.5THz band in the inland region of Antarctic was also achieved, paving way for future research and experimental verification of the next-generation communication technology to be used in the area.

A expedition team member conducts scientific experiment in the inland region of Antarctic. /Purple Mountain Observatory
A expedition team member conducts scientific experiment in the inland region of Antarctic. /Purple Mountain Observatory

A expedition team member conducts scientific experiment in the inland region of Antarctic. /Purple Mountain Observatory

China's terahertz testing system is composed of key devices, including a terahertz superconducting receiver, terahertz signal source, low temperature refrigerator and small high precision antenna and other independently developed key core equipment.

The experiment was conducted during China's 39th Antarctic scientific expedition in the Antarctic, as the expedition team set off from Shanghai in October 2022.

After testing was conducted respectively in China's Kunlun Station and Taishan Station in the Antarctic, the observation and communication testing of the terahertz system were approved to be operated normally in extreme conditions, the observatory said. 

You Xiaohu, principal investigator of the lab, said that terahertz transmission technologies are fundamental for 6G networks and will be widely used for realizing faster transmissions and in new-type applications such as AR, VR and the metaverse.

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