In a step toward developing next-generation, AI-enabled 6G wireless networks, scientists have demonstrated a laser-driven engine made from an easy-to-manufacture ceramic material that uses white light to move information over large distances. While conventional LED‑based visible light communication (VLC) systems typically operate over only a few meters, the novel photonic engine—described in a study publishing May 22 in the Cell Press journal Matter—can move data over 1.2 kilometers.
"This is really a record with attractive performance beyond the traditional technology," says Zhiguo Xia of South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, China.
Current 5G wireless networks work like highways through which information moves at high speeds, allowing for fast communication. 6G networks built into future smartphones and other objects such as streetlamps would not only allow information to move through networks an order of magnitude faster–they would be able to "see," "hear," and "think," detecting people and objects and their subtle movements. Since 6G networks would incorporate data from satellites fixed low in Earth's orbit, they could even provide high-speed coverage in tough-to-reach regions such as deserts, oceans, and mountains.
However, scientists have faced barriers to developing 6G technology, including the need for ultra-dense base stations with high energy and infrastructure costs, as well as challenges in combining high-performance lighting materials and high-speed photodetectors into compact devices that can be mass-produced at low cost.
To address these challenges, Xia's team developed a photonic engine powered by lasers that can transfer large amounts of data over long distances by emitting high-quality white light–qualities that place it at the forefront of laser lighting technologies.
The findings offer direct experimental evidence supporting 6G communications technology, which so far has existed "largely at the visionary level," says Xia, potentially helping make a "paradigm shift from connection to intelligent connection possible."
"This work also provides compelling experimental support for the application of laser lighting in scenarios such as drone logistics and low‑altitude air travel," says Xia.
The researchers developed a low-cost technique for making the laser-powered engine's ceramic material by mixing calcium ions with a powder of chemical compounds used to make glass, which eliminates the need for high-pressure manufacturing equipment. The ceramic transfers heat about 20 times more efficiently than traditionally used silicone resins, enabling the material to withstand more laser power than other laser-driven technologies.
The researchers note that the engine mainly emits light in the yellow region (500–650 nm) and lacks red components, limiting its use in applications requiring a very high color rendering index–a measure of an object's true color compared to natural sunlight. It also operates at far below fiber optic speeds. To further develop the engine, the team plans to investigate light-emitting materials with shorter fluorescence lifetimes and tunable emission bandwidths, which can further speed up data rates. They also plan to integrate the laser system with radio-frequency systems to ensure that service continues during bad weather.
"AI‑driven link adaptation can dynamically adjust data rate and optical power, ultimately supporting a future 6G network that is space‑air‑ground integrated, fully covered, and highly reliable," says Xia.
