applied sciences  
Editorial  
Advancing Nanoscale Communication: Unveiling the Potential of Terahertz and Molecular Communication  
[PERSON] (c) and [PERSON] *(c)  
Department of Electronic Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro,  
Gyenogsan 38541, Republic of Korea; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
* Correspondence: [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
In recent years, advancements in nanotechnology have opened up new frontiers in communication systems, bringing the dream of seamless communication at the nanoscale level closer to reality. Among the most promising and cutting-edge areas in this field are electromagnetic (EM) nanocommunication in the Terahertz (THz) band (0.1-10 THz) [1] and molecular nanocommunication (MNC) [2]. The individual developments in these two disciplines and their fusion would lead to a revolutionary approach in communication technology, enabling applications in various domains, from healthcare and biomedical [3, 4] to the Internet of Nano-Things (IoNT) [5, 6] and on-chip communications [7, 8, 9]. The following editorial derives into the goals, significance, and key research areas of THz and MNC, showcasing their vast potential and the transformative impact they could have on nanonetworking. The advantage of using the THz band is that THz waves offer unique characteristics that make them ideal for nanoscale communication. Apart from possessing higher bandwidths and shorter wavelengths, allowing for faster data transfer and more precise localization, they can propagate as surface plasmon polaritons (SPP), a type of surface wave [10]. On the other hand, MNC is inspired by nature, where information is exchanged through chemical signals. By emulating natural processes, researchers are designing molecular communication models, protocols, and algorithms to enable reliable, energy-efficient, and biocompatible communication at the nanoscale [11, 12, 13]. Nanocommunication is a challenging field due to the need for nanoscale devices that are energy-efficient and capable of operating in harsh environments. However, there has been significant progress in recent years, primarily due to the discovery of graphene. Graphene has excellent electrical properties, including high electron mobility at room temperature, which enables the propagation of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) waves. SPP waves are global oscillations of electrical charges at the interface of graphene and a dielectric material. This property has motivated researchers to develop graphene-based plasmonic nano-antennas that can radiate at frequencies in the THz band [14]. Similarly, we could develop new nano-components capable of generating, radiating, and detecting THz signals [15]. Regarding MNC, it is crucial to explore methods for constructing biocompatible transmitter and receiver nanomachines. Recent progress in micro/nanomachines (MNMs) research offers promising technologies for implementing MNMs in 6G application scenarios, particularly in the IoBNT [6]. These advanced nano- and communication technologies could connect biological cells inside the human body to the Internet [16]. The authors in [16] comprehensively summarize possible technologies for constructing MNMs applicable to MNC systems, including sensors, transmitters, and receivers. Subsequently, the development of a comprehensive nanonetworking protocol stack is essential. This stack should encompass physical, link, network, transport, and application layers, tailored to the specific challenges and requirements of THz and MNC. Until now, for the THz nanocommunication, schemes or protocols were only proposed for the network, link, and physical layers [1]. However, networking protocols for higher layers are also required. A major challenge in developing networking protocols is the scale, as some applications require significantly larger numbers of nanonodes compared to traditional wireless sensor networks. Additionally, nanonodes are more susceptible to failures since they would rely on harvesting energy from environmental sources.