9. New applications

In addition to the information mainly described in the sections dedicated to telecommunications, the main and structuring development in the microwave field is the rise in frequency, tending to move systems towards the terahertz domain, from 300 to 2,000 GHz, the submillimeter range, gradually bridging the gap separating it from the infrared.

As a result, new fields (6G communications, imaging, radar) will emerge. Given atmospheric absorption in these frequency ranges, the new applications will be very short-range, with the exception of space, where inter-satellite communications will be little affected by propagation losses. This opens up a whole field of innovation for physics and engineering, from materials and components to connectors, assemblies and packaging.

The main microwave applications for these two-dimensional structures are...