The research, published Nov. 20 in Nature Communications, offers a blueprint for communications chips needed for advanced radar, satellite systems, advanced wireless networks, and even future generations of 6G and 7G mobile technology. By combining photonic and electronic components, scientists have built a prototype communications chip that can effectively access high enough radio frequency bandwidths for uses including advanced radar as well as 6G and 7G. They built a working prototype of the networking semiconductor chip by sourcing a silicon wafer and attaching the electronic and photonics components—in the form of ""chiplets."" Crucially, they also improved how the chips filtered information. By fine-tuning precisely into specific frequencies at higher bands, which tend to be crowded, more information can flow through the chip more accurately, according to the study.