The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology intends to create a center for the production of optoelectronics components that can also be used in six-generation (6G) networks. It is planned that a scientific cooperation of ten research institutes and nine manufacturing companies will be created to implement the project, including Crocus Nanoelectronics, T8, a number of universities and scientific organizations, as well as specialized divisions of Rostec and Rosatom corporations.

According to the Skolkovo Institute calculations, at least 12.6 billion rubles are needed for the project implementation (equipment purchase, clean area creation and production launching), however, according to the project authors, the optimum sum is twice as much - 26.9 billion rubles. The necessary funds are to be raised through investment. The construction of the centre is expected to take about two years.

If the planned development is successful, these systems can become the basis of the high-tech market - they will create radars, ultra-high frequency on-board electronics and other technologies. In addition, the sixth-generation networks may be used in the implementation of other high-tech projects - their use will become the basis for the development of energy-efficient systems, the concept of smart healthcare and digital agriculture.

According to Rostelecom, the Skolkovo project has good prospects in terms of the import substitution of the component base of the domestic telecom equipment and the development of new promising Russian developments in this area, which will be able to compete with imports.

ABOUT 6G

According to the specialists' forecasts, the 6G networks may appear as soon as in five to ten years. It is planned that 6G will not only provide tremendous speeds, but also the ability to serve many more end devices than existing networks, including 5G.

According to the current concept, to quickly transmit huge amounts of data with the least amount of power using 6G, it will require a network infrastructure with a large number of small cells that will be interconnected by high-speed radio links that use high-frequency bands up to terahertz.

As previously reported by the media, China's Ministry of Science and Technology announced in late 2019 the launch of development and research on sixth-generation networks. According to the ministry, 6G cellular data rates could reach 1TB/s, 8,000 times the capacity of 5G.

China intends to conduct the study simultaneously through two groups. The first group will include representatives of relevant government ministries, which are responsible for promoting research and development methods for 6G network technologies, and the second group will include representatives from academic institutions, telecommunications companies and scientists from Chinese universities who will be responsible for the technical side of the development.

As the Nikkei news agency earlier reported, the Japanese authorities intend to allocate $2.03 billion for studying the new communication standard, as well as promised to allocate free frequencies for 6G. It is planned that the communication of the sixth generation will be deployed in Japan by 2030. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, an expert group from Tokyo University and representatives of business - Japan's largest telecommunication company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone and Toshiba are invited to discuss the project. According to the experts, the 6G standard of communication will increase the speed of information transfer by at least 10 times compared with 5G.

The agency notes that similar programs on 6G also appeared in South Korea and Finland.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch predicts that the standard 6G will be one of the 15 breakthrough technologies, which will have a key impact on the global industry

About the Company

"Crocus Nanoelectronics" is the first and the leading enterprise of electronic industry in Russia, engaged in production of electronic components on the end of line (BEOL, back end of line) with design standard of 90/55nm on 300mm wafers. Established at the initiative of RUSNANO jointly with Crocus Technology in 2011.

The company is a technology leader in Russia in the field of non-volatile memory production using Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM) and Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) technologies. MRAM and RRAM offer lifecycles of up to 20 years.

The company's portfolio includes RFID and microcontrollers, bioelectronic chips, MRAM and RRAM memory chips, magnetic sensors for industrial, communications, automotive and consumer electronics. The company also provides services for contract manufacturing of integrated circuits on 300-mm wafers and development of technological processes.

The company's partners are such major technology companies and manufacturers as IBM (USA), SMIC (China), Tower Semiconductors (Israel, Japan), HLMC (China), Adesto Technologies (USA).

Export is the leading direction of the company. At the moment, Crocus Nanoelectronics exports more than 90% of its products, and the annual export turnover is more than 37 million rubles.