Punjabi University Research Develops Advanced Terahertz Antenna Design for Future 6G Communications

Researchers associated with Punjabi University, Patiala, have developed advanced graphene-based terahertz antenna designs that could contribute to future 6G and ultra-high-speed wireless communication systems, combining metasurface engineering with artificial intelligence-based optimisation.

The research has been carried out by Nipun Sharma and Dr Amrit Kaur in the field of terahertz antenna technology. Punjabi University’s official academic records list Dr Amrit Kaur with its Electronics and Communication Engineering programme, while several peer-reviewed papers from the research programme identify both researchers with the university’s ECE department.

At the centre of the work is a highly compact graphene patch antenna incorporating a metasurface, designed to operate in the terahertz frequency range. Terahertz frequencies are attracting considerable research interest because they offer access to extremely wide bandwidths that could eventually support communication speeds far beyond those available through present-day mobile networks.

One of the researchers’ studies developed two graphene-based metasurface antenna configurations and evaluated important characteristics including return loss, gain, directivity, bandwidth and radiation efficiency. The designs were modelled using electromagnetic simulation tools before machine-learning techniques were employed to optimise antenna parameters.

The study reported bandwidths of 8.63 THz and 8.69 THz for the two designs, with radiation efficiencies of approximately 89.04% and 97.54% respectively. Machine-learning models were used to optimise variables such as substrate dimensions, patch length and slot width, demonstrating how artificial intelligence can assist engineers in refining extremely small and complex antenna structures.

The research programme has continued to evolve. A newer study by Sharma and Kaur, published online in Cybernetics and Systems on July 10, 2026, explores a graphene patch antenna combined with a metasurface and a hybrid optimisation model for selecting antenna dimensions. The work integrates electromagnetic simulation with computational optimisation to improve parameters associated with antenna performance.

Earlier research by the team also investigated how altering the geometry of graphene metasurface unit cells could reduce the amount of material required while improving antenna performance. In one design, triangular unit cells were substituted for conventional square structures in an effort to reduce the metasurface area while maintaining or improving operating characteristics.

Another major element of the work is the use of graphene. Its electrical properties make it particularly attractive for antennas operating at extremely high frequencies, while its ability to support compact and potentially tunable structures makes it relevant for future integrated communication devices.

Terahertz communication is being studied internationally as one of the possible technological building blocks of 6G networks. Such systems could eventually support extremely high data rates and new applications requiring large bandwidths, although substantial challenges remain in areas such as signal propagation, fabrication, power efficiency and practical system integration. Sharma and Kaur’s research has also examined these broader developments through published work on metasurface-based THz antennas.

The microscopic dimensions required for these antennas also connect the research with advances in semiconductor and chip fabrication. As India expands its semiconductor manufacturing and research ecosystem, the ability to design and eventually fabricate on-chip terahertz components could become increasingly important for indigenous high-frequency electronics.

The Punjabi University research therefore represents an important contribution at the antenna-design level rather than a complete 6G communication system. By bringing together graphene, metasurfaces, terahertz engineering and AI-assisted optimisation, the work addresses some of the technologies that could eventually underpin ultra-high-speed wireless networks beyond 5G.