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What just happened? A few months ago, scientists at Aston University in the UK broke a world record for data transmission speed. They have now surpassed their previous work, achieving a new benchmark. The team accomplished this feat by constructing the first optical transmission system that uses six wavelength bands. The development could revolutionize internet connectivity, enabling faster data transfers at cheaper price points – provided that ISPs pass on the savings to customers.
Scientists at Aston University in the UK have broken the world record for data transmission speed, achieving an astonishing 402 terabits per second (Tbps) over optical fiber. This groundbreaking achievement surpasses the previous record of 319 Tbps, set by the same team just months earlier, by 83 Tbps. They detailed this accomplishment in a technical report published by Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT).
To put this into perspective, the transmission speed is approximately 16 million times faster than the average home broadband connection, which typically operates at around 25 megabits per second (Mbps). Such a dramatic increase in speed could revolutionize internet connectivity, enable near-instantaneous downloads, ultra-smooth streaming, and enhanced capabilities for data-intensive applications like virtual reality and high-definition video conferencing.
To break the record, the scientists had to overcome several challenges. For example, conventional doped fiber amplifiers were not available for the U-band, the longest part of the combined wavelength spectrum. They also had to figure out a way to expand the spectrum used for data transmission and for it to cover all six wavelength bands instead of the four used previously. Finally, the researchers needed to ensure that the new system was both power-efficient and space-efficient.
Over the course of a few months, this is what they did.
Using a combination of cutting-edge technologies, including advanced optical fibers and specialized signal processing techniques, the researchers constructed the world's first optical transmission system that uses all six wavelength bands (O, E, S, C, L, and U) used in fiber-optic communications, compared to conventional systems that typically use only one or two bands.
The optical fiber contained 38 cores, each capable of transmitting data in three modes, resulting in 114 spatial channels. The multiple communication signals were able to be combined into a single transmission line by using different wavelengths of light, a technique called wavelength division multiplexing that maximizes the use of available spectrum and significantly increases data transmission speeds.
The team also used standard commercially available fiber-optic cables, demonstrating that specialized cables are not necessary to achieve these speeds. In addition, they used off-the-shelf amplifiers for O-band signals alongside new equipment they developed to amplify signals in the U-band portions of the spectrum.
To make the new system both power-efficient and space-efficient, they used a single laser and a single optical chip to produce a frequency comb with many distinguishable wavelengths. This also simplified the setup.
Not only does this breakthrough have the potential to revolutionize internet speeds and data transfer capabilities, it could also reduce the cost per bit of data transmitted, potentially lowering the overall costs for internet service providers, who might pass on these savings to their customers.