6G Communications Optics and Optronics Opportunities in Transmission, RIS, Reception, Cable, Processing, Tuning, Cooling, Self-Powering, Sensors: Markets, Technologies 2027-2047

Table of Contents

1. Executive summary and conclusions

• 1.1 Purpose and focus of this report
  • 1.1.1 General
  • 1.1.2 Infogram: 6G optical, optronic opportunities with infrastructure and client devices 2026-2046
  • 1.1.3 Infogram: increasing adoption of optics/ optronics for 6G – nine candidates
  • 1.1.4 Lessons from analysis of 245 latest researches and recommendations
• 1.2 Methodology of this analysis
• 1.3 17 conclusions for 6G Communications systems and hardware with 10 infograms
• 1.4 12 SWOT appraisals
  • 1.4.1 SWOT appraisal of 6G adding sub-THz, THz, near infrared and visible frequencies
  • 1.4.2 SWOT appraisal of Optical Wireless Communications for 6G
  • 1.4.3 SWOT appraisal of visible light communication VLC
  • 1.4.4 SWOT appraisal of 6G RIS
  • 1.4.5 SWOT appraisal Simultaneous Transmission And Reflection STAR-RIS
  • 1.4.6 SWOT appraisal of 6G RIS for Optical Wireless Communication OWC
  • 1.4.7 Two SWOT appraisals of Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling PDRC, variant and materials prioritisation analysis
  • 1.4.8 SWOT appraisal of Optical Signal Processing for 6G
  • 1.4.9 SWOT appraisal of photovoltaics for 6G Zero Emission Devices ZED
  • 1.4.10 SWOT appraisal of terahertz far infrared cable waveguides in 6G system design
  • 1.4.11 SWOT appraisal of fiber optics in 6G system design
• 1.5 6G systems, materials and standards roadmaps in six lines 2026-2047
• 1.6 Market forecasts for 6G materials, hardware, context 2026-2046 in 45 lines, graphs, explanation
  • 1.6.1 Overview
  • 1.6.2 Optical and optronic 6G materials and device market 2026-2047
  • 1.6.3 6G fully passive metamaterial reflect-array market OWC and total $ billion 2029-2047
  • 1.6.4 6G RIS value market $ billion: active vs four semi-passive categories by frequency 2026-2047
  • 1.6.5 Optical and total thermal management material and structure for 6G infrastructure and client devices $ billion 2026-2047
  • 1.6.6 The three main types of solid-state cooling $ billion 2026-2047
  • 1.6.7 Terrestrial radiative cooling performance in commercial products W/sq. m 2025-2047
  • 1.6.8 Smartphone and successor billion units sold globally 2025-2047
  • 1.6.9 Market for 6G vs 5G base stations units millions yearly 2025-2047
  • 1.6.10 Market for 6G base stations market value $bn if successful 2029-2047
  • 1.6.11 Thermal meta-device market $ billion 2027-2047 by two application segments including infrared

2. Introduction

• 2.1 Overview: lessons and planned 6G hardware anatomy
  • 2.1.1 Lessons from the evolution of wireless communication
  • 2.1.2 The 1G to 6G journey seeking higher performance
  • 2.1.3 Why 6G must come in two phases and the second will be largely optical
  • 2.1.4 Situation with primary 6G infrastructure and client devices by type
  • 2.1.5 Detail on 6G Phase One
  • 2.1.6 Progressing to 6G Phase Two: spectrum, objectives, ISAC, SWOT
• 2.2 How many optical and optronic technologies are essential for 6G success
  • 2.2.1 Overview
  • 2.2.2 Increasing adoption of optics/ optronics for 6G – eight candidates
  • 2.2.3 Mismatch of planned and researched 6G frequencies may invite usurpers
  • 2.2.4 SWOT appraisal of Optical Wireless Communications for 6G
  • 2.2.5 SWOT appraisal of Visible Light Communication VLC
  • 2.2.6 Optically transparent smart windows and cladding with near IR cooling, 6G RIS or 6G reflect arrays
• 2.3 Likely radical advances in 6G materials
  • 2.3.1 Strong 6G trend from components-in-a-box to smart materials and metasurfaces with SWOT
  • 2.3.2 The place of metamaterials in 6G including optical
  • 2.3.3 SWOT appraisal for metamaterials and metasurfaces generally
  • 2.3.4 Electrically-functionalised transparent glass for 6G OTA, T-RIS
  • 2.3.5 Optical quantum computing for 6G
• 2.4 Further reading – academic research advances through 2026 and

3. Optical Wireless Communications involving infrastructure and client devices for 6G

• 3.1 Optical Wireless Communication OWC including latest research
  • 3.1.1 OWC scope and potential with latest research advances
  • 3.1.2 Optical Satellite Networks between satellites and aircraft to satellite
  • 3.1.3 Optical ground stations: Airbus examples
  • 3.1.4 OWC relevance to 6G Communications: studies through 2025-6
• 3.2 Optical 6G Communications including 2025 research
  • 3.2.1 General
  • 3.2.2 Infogram: Importance of optical/ optronic communication hardware in 6G
  • 3.2.3 Infogram: OWC with fiber optics in a potential Tbps 6G network adding far IR (THz), near IR and visible light
  • 3.2.4 Relevant latest research
  • 3.2.5 Application in 6G Non-Terrestrial Networks: activity of 6G-NTN
• 3.3 Client devices for 6G gain more optical technology
  • 3.3.1 Human interfaced: smartphones, other
  • 3.3.2 Progress expected 2027-2047
  • 3.3.3 Research in 2025 on VLC to a smartphone and VLC processing
• 3.4 Future OWC lasers, laser diodes, photodetectors and other OWC photonics revealed in 2026 research
  • 3.4.1 Lasers
  • 3.4.2 Future 6G OWC LED, laser diode, photonic receiver and other devices and materials

4. Optical Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces ORIS and optical tuning for 6G including advances in

• 4.1 Overview
  • 4.1.1 Definitions, terminology, basics
  • 4.1.2 Optical tuning for GHz, mmWave and subTHz RIS with 2026 advances
• 4.2 Optical Communication RIS called ORIS with SWOTs
  • 4.2.1 Overview6
  • 4.2.2 ORIS benefits and the Distributed RIS DRIS option
  • 4.2.3 ORIS challenges
  • 4.2.4 SWOT appraisal of 6G RIS for OWC
  • 4.2.5 SWOT appraisal of visible light communication
• 4.3 ORIS implementation procedures
• 4.4 Long range, underground, underwater and space OWC: RIS: latest research advances
  • 4.4.1 General
  • 4.4.2 RIS enhanced OWC vehicular networks and mobile environments
  • 4.4.3 Hybrid RF-FSO RIS
  • 4.4.4 Underwater UOWC systems
  • 4.4.5 Underground OWC needing RIS
  • 4.4.6 Laser stratospheric and space communications with RIS technology
• 4.5 Short range and indoor OWC and its RIS: latest research advances
  • 4.5.1 Indoors and short range in air
  • 4.5.2 Leveraging other indoor and short-range outdoor systems such as LiFi with RIS
• 4.6 Metalenses for 6G including latest advances
• 4.7 Mirror array ORIS design and application with latest advances

5. Near Infrared Passive Radiative Cooling PRC (Passive Daylight Radiative Cooling PDRC)

• 5.1 Overview with 6G requirements, SWOT appraisal, 2027 maturity curve
• 5.2 PRC basics: Definition, origin, purpose, six aspects compared
• 5.3 Materials analysis 2025, 2026 including paint and multi-mode, multifunctional PRC advances
  • 5.3.1 Overall materials analysis with commercial implications
  • 5.3.2 PRC paint and color without compromise
  • 5.3.3 Aerogel and porous material approaches
  • 5.3.4 Environmental and inexpensive PRC materials development
  • 5.3.5 Advanced thermal insulation for PRC: polymer, ceramic, 3DP
• 5.4 Emerging PRC applications: datacenters, buildings, water harvesting, solar panels, apparel, flexible electronics, other
  • 5.4.1 Overall opportunity and progress including proposals for datacenters
  • 5.4.2 PRC for buildings, solar panels and windows: progress in 2025-6
  • 5.4.3 Textile, fabric, wearable PRC: commercial implications of 2025-6 advances and SWOT
  • 5.4.4 PRC cold side boosting power of thermoelectric generators in 2026 and earlier
  • 5.4.5 Cooling of photovoltaics: solid-state options in context 2026 and earlier
  • 5.4.6 Other 2025-6 research related to PRC
• 5.5 Profiles of 12 manufacturers of PRC
• 5.6 Further reading
• 5.7 Variants on PRC overcome shortcomings

6. Optical Signal Processing OSP, photovoltaics including as multifunctional 6G infrastructure and client devices, Far IR THz waveguides and cable, fiber optics, optronic sensors

• 6.1 Overview
• 6.2 Optical Signal Processing OSP for 6G
  • 6.2.1 Definition
  • 6.2.2 Devices involved
  • 6.2.3 SWOT appraisal of Optical Signal Processing for 6G
  • 6.2.4 OSP and allied advances through 2026 relevant to 6G
• 6.3 Place of optics and optronics in 6G energy harvesting
  • 6.3.1 13 energy harvesting technologies with place of optics, optronics for 6G
  • 6.3.2 6G personal device, active RIS and UM MIMO base station power demands matched to energy harvesting options
  • 6.3.3 Electromagnetic energy harvesting toolkit by frequency: place of photovoltaics
  • 6.3.4 Energy harvesting system improvement strategies including photonics compatibility with “massless energy” with SWOT
  • 6.3.5 Significance of Zero Energy Devices ZED in 6G Communications infrastructure and client devices
  • 6.3.6 Device architecture
• 6.4 How photovoltaics and variants are very important for 6G
  • 6.4.1 Experience curve showing fastest cost reduction, efficiency improvement, PV for 6G SWOT
  • 6.4.2 Massive power increases ahead: basics and latest research progress including triple junction
• 6.5 Design and materials of 6G waveguides and cables with SWOTs and latest research advances
  • 6.5.1 Uses and options
  • 6.5.2 THz graphene, PTFE, PBVE, PP, PE/PP, LiNb, InAs, GaP with two SWOTs and latest research advances
  • 6.5.3 Future fiber optic intermediary for 6G with SWOT: silica, sapphire, PBTP, PE, PI, FRP
  • 6.5.4 Photonics defined radio to cable and photonic integration for THz 6G
  • 6.5.5 SWOT appraisal of fiber optics in 6G system design
• 6.6 Optronic sensors: photonic, infrared, LIDAR, optoelectronic memtransistors, photoelectric, photovoltaic

7. 35 companies involved in 6G materials and hardware: products, plans, patents, Zhar Research appraisals: 2025-6

• 7.1 Overview: Likely 6G hardware landscape with examples of manufacturers and patenting trends, Apple, Intel, Cisco
  • 7.1.1 Rapidly changing situation 2025-6
  • 7.1.2 Examples of material patenting and literature trends
• 7.2 AGC Japan
• 7.3 Airbus Europe
• 7.4 Alcan Systems Germany
• 7.5 Alibaba China
• 7.6 Alphacore USA
• 7.7 China Telecom China Mobile, China Unicom, Huawei, ZTE, Lenovo, CICT China collaboration
• 7.8 Ericsson Sweden
• 7.9 Fractal Antenna Systems USA
• 7.10 Greenerwave France
• 7.11 Huawei China
• 7.12 ITOCHU Japan
• 7.13 Kymeta Corp. USA
• 7.14 Kyocera Japan
• 7.15 Metacept Systems USA
• 7.16 Metawave USA
• 7.17 NEC Japan
• 7.18 Nokia Finland with LG Uplus South Korea
• 7.19 NTT DoCoMo and NTTJapan
• 7.20 Orange France
• 7.21 Panasonic Japan
• 7.22 Pivotal Commware USA
• 7.23 Qualcomm USA
• 7.24 Samsung Electronic South Korea
• 7.25 Sekisui Japan
• 7.26 SensorMetrix USA
• 7.27 SK Telecom South Korea
• 7.28 Sony Japan
• 7.29 Teraview USA
• 7.30 Toptica Germany
• 7.31 Vivo Mobile Communications China
• 7.32 VTT Finland
• 7.33 ZTE China