6G Communications Optical and Optronic Opportunities: Markets, Technologies 2026-2046

Revolutionizing 6G Communications: Unveiling Opportunities for Optical Materials and Components

Optics and optronics are essential for 6G Communications to succeed. The new report, "6G Communications Optical and Optronic Opportunities: Markets, Technologies 2026-2046" shows the way. It serves those entering the 6G value chain from investors to operators and particularly suppliers and integrators of those vital optical and optronic materials. Yes, 6G will launch mostly with modified 5G hardware and 5G frequency use, but strong improvements above the physical layer. However, urgently, that must be followed by adding the optics and optronics that galvanises disruptive services and paybacks.

Essential new hardware

6G promises the widely available performance improved by magnitudes that can lead to radically new client devices and business propositions. For this, it must add Optical Wireless Communications OWC, Optical Signal Processing OSP, photovoltaics for self-powering, Passive Daylight Radiative Cooling PDRC, extra, improved fiber optics intermediary and more. Much infrastructure will need to become optically transparent to, “vanish into the fabric of society” - acceptable in far more places.

Essential route to widespread superlative performance

Only with these and other forms of optics and optronics can 6G approach the promised magnitudes of improvement in parameters during widespread deployment. Think beyond ubiquity from mere GHz satcoms and defaulting to WiFi indoors. 6G must embrace a world of lasers, laser diodes, optronic reconfigurable intelligent surfaces and receivers, photonic chips, multijunction solar film, solar drone “towers in the sky”, optronic transmission lines, optical holography and multifunctional structural optronic material including in smart windows.

Uniquely thorough and broad-ranging report

 The commercially-oriented 452-page report, "6G Communications Optical and Optronic Opportunities: Markets, Technologies 2026-2046" is uniquely useful. It deeply examines the remarkable advances through 2025 with PhD level insights. It is constantly updated so you only get the latest. It covers all your opportunities not just OWC.

New initiatives, advances, comparisons, possibilities

The 71-page “Executive Summary and Conclusions” is easy reading with graphics presenting 11 of the SWOT appraisals, the materials and component toolkits and prioritisation by new research success and appraised usefulness. Scan the 48 forecast lines and graphs with explanations. See 16 key conclusions. The 35-page Chapter 2. “Introduction” gives the lessons though wireless communications generations and need for two phases of 6G. Here are candidate optical and optronic materials and components and the trend from components-in-a-box to smart materials and metasurfaces.  See examples of optical transparency developed for 6G. In all chapters, there are many references to research papers and assessment of them. They are mostly through 2025, with some that will publish in 2026.

Chapter 3. “Optical Wireless Communications involving infrastructure and client devices for 6G” (30 pages) gives the basics. Then see such things as Optical Satellite Networks between satellites and aircraft-to-satellite and optical ground stations with Airbus embracing 6G proposing a formidable toolkit. There are infograms on “Importance of optical/ optronic communication hardware in 6G” and “OWC with fiber optics in a potential Tbps 6G network adding far IR (THz), near IR and visible light”. Read application in 6G of Non-Terrestrial Networks NTN including the work of 6G-NTN. See 6G client devices will incorporating more optical and optronic technology. What  future OWC lasers, laser diodes, photodetectors and other OWC photonics are revealed in 2025 and planned 2026 research? Infograms and comparisons tables are used throughout, not rambling text.

Chapter 4. “Optical Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces ORIS and optical tuning for 6G including advances in 2025” (67 pages) goes deeply into latest advances, the potential and the objectives in these areas. What ORIS benefits, challenges, materials? Why does optical tuning control attract even for the opening non-optical frequencies of 6G? What materials?

Chapter 5. “Other optical and optronic support for 6G infrastructure and client devices : solid-state radiative cooling, PDRC, transparent hardware, smart windows” (93 pages) covers a large number of opportunities beyond OWC. Many are yet to be widely considered for 6G but, being important, they are your opportunity to fill gaps in the market. For example, every wireless generation uses infrastructure needing much more electricity and therefore needing much more cooling. PDRC does not cause local heating unlike conventional vapor compression cooling.

The publisher advises, “PDRC converts heat to the infrared atmospheric window of frequency that emits into outer space and it reflects radiative heat arriving, sometimes doing even more. As 6G infrastructure increasingly merges into such things as high-rise buildings and solar drones loitering in the stratosphere, its cooling, energy harvesting and other services tend to become solid-state, optically transparent and shared with the host.  6G smart windows are one example covered. Learn which materials and technologies are winning in the 2025 research pipeline and in other work and planning.”

Chapter 6. “Optical Signal Processing OSP, photovoltaics including as multifunctional 6G infrastructure and client devices, Far IR THz waveguides and cable, fiber optics, optronic sensors” (92 pages) is a deep dive into these aspects. What OSP advances are relevant to 6G? Materials? How will photovoltaics retain the fastest cost reduction and double output for a given area? Relevance to 6G infrastructure and client devices? PDRC cooling of the challenging cold side of thermoelectric harvesters needed? Photovoltaics handling data? Thermovoltaics? What are the many optronic sensors needed for 6G? Next THz waveguides and possibility of cable? Fiber optics reinvented? Materials winning in 2025 research?

Company profiles: 6G relevance and progress

The report then ends with 51 pages covering Chapter 7. “40 companies involved in 6G materials and hardware: products, plans, patents, the publisher's appraisals: 2025-6”, including 6G-related patents, achievements, intentions, and commentary.