Unlocking the Future: Navigating 6G Research with Scientometrics and Emerging Trends

Abstract The advent of 6G, an emerging technology, has ushered in transformative changes across multiple industries. Its numerous benefits have paved the way for extensive research opportunities, thereby capturing the attention of the scholarly community. Given the swift proliferation of 6G-related research, there is a pressing need for a comprehensive examination of the existing knowledge landscape in this domain. While a few review articles have been published to address this demand, presenting the latest accomplishments and challenges of 6G technology from diverse perspectives, a Scientometrics evaluation of the current state of 6G still needs to be explored. In this investigation, we undertook a thorough Scientometrics analysis encompassing conference papers, journal articles, and review papers related to 6G indexed by the Web of Science (WoS) between 2015 and 2022. The outcomes of this analysis yielded valuable insights, including annual publication and citation trends, burgeoning research domains, the ten most influential papers, favored publication platforms, and primary funding sources. These findings contribute meaningful insights and offer a range of recommendations, serving as a valuable reference for both novice and experienced researchers venturing into the realm of 6G research in the times ahead.