Dr. Arjun Singh, a member of the SUNY Polytechnic Institute Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty, and director of the WINGS Center of Excellence, recently co-authored research titled, “Wavefront Hopping for Physical Layer Security in 6G and Beyond Near-Field THz Communications,” which was accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Communications.
 
The research presents a novel approach for enhancing physical layer security in terahertz (THz) communications, specifically for 6G and beyond networks. The core innovation discussed in the paper is a method called wavefront hopping, which leverages unique properties of non-Gaussian THz wavefronts (such as Bessel and Airy beams) to secure communications in the near field of the THz band. The team is also patenting this technique. 
 
Wavefront hopping technique provides a significant advancement in securing data transmission in environments that will be critical for future wireless networks. This work paves the way for the development of more robust security schemes in near-field THz communications and suggests future directions for research in this area, including mobility and real-world implementation challenges.