Using the Terahertz Spectrum for Wireless Communication

holy_calamity writes "A first step to allowing wireless data transfer over a currently unused part of the electromagnetic spectrum is reported in New Scientist. Terahertz radiation exists between radio and infrared. A new filter created at the University of Utah can filter out particular frequencies, a prerequisite for using it for data. The abstract of the paper in the journal Nature is freely available."

So, when will this be mismanaged by the Government

[Kid Zero]

10 years? Anyone?

Re:ridiculously expensive

[markov_chain]

Pshaw, that's nothing. I work with high end audio equipment, and let me tell you, a Hi-Fi 3 foot cable can easily cost several thousand dollars. The 40GHz cable would never be enough, as some people can still hear frequencies in that range.

Re:ridiculously expensive

[Harmonious Botch]

As I recall, people's hearing tops out at about 25 KILOhertz

Re:It might just take a while

[NixieBunny]

Are you kidding? you can't do first post if you RTFA!

Re:Hmm,

[Pink Tinkletini]

...)

Ahhh, much better.

Re:It might just take a while

[psaunders]

Sounds like NRAO-ALMA.

*sigh* It irks me whenever someone posts an obscure acronym without expanding it. Seriously, it's just rude.

For the uninitiated, that is Nothing Really Amazing in Outerspace - Alien Life My Ass.

Re:Hmm,

[Kenshin]

The other thing about terahertz waves is that they behave quasi-optically, being focused by teflon lenses and blocked by cardboard.

So we can finally ditch the tin-foil hats for cardboard hats? About time!

Re:ridiculously expensive

[sr180]

I see that his joke was above your head by 39.975 MHz or so.

Re:Geek into English.

[Anonymous Coward]

This is trivial. At Starfleet Academy, surface plasmon polaritons and Fano interference in quasicrystals were on our freshman exams in the first week. Even WESLEY got it right, and he was the dumbest one in our class. Well, except for that guy, George Bush VIII. I don't know how he got in, except his father was like the king of some country named Texas or something. All he ever did was exotic drugs, until the day he blew his testicles off in chem lab. Thank goodness for modern transplant technology.

Re:Why not...

[Greylin]

oh no.. not petahertz... then we'll have those animal rights crazies demanding we let it go..

Re:ridiculously expensive

[Profane MuthaFucka]

Are you talking about compact discs? because you can hear vinyl way higher than that.

Re:It might just take a while

[Exocrist]

All the better if he's dead on, that just saves the rest of us from having to RTFA!

Re:ridiculously expensive

[fahrbot-bot]

...a 3 foot 40GHz cable can cost hundreds of dollars and a 100GHz connector can cost a thousand dollars or more on its own...

So, CAT-5e is out?

Re:ridiculously expensive

[Erandir]

I dunno, apparently many companies are already broadcasting in the 450-750 terahertz range, using something called a "light bulb"...

Re:ridiculously expensive

[EricTheO]

You know when I put a Cd on my turntable it has no hiss, pops, crackle, clicks, or rumble.