With 319 terabytes / s, researchers have blown the optical fiber speed record

markInternational Conference on Fiber Optic and CommunicationJapanese researchers from National Institute of Information and Communication Technologyتكنولوجي (NIICT) did a mind-boggling feat: They were able to transfer data at an astonishing rate of 319 terabits per second For more than 3 km. Above all, their technology is compatible as it is with modern fiber optic networks; We may be at the dawn of a small revolution.

This number will almost look like an input error, but it isn’t. Previous record for Optical fiber standard diameter, which was founded in 2020 at 178 TB/s, is simply smashed. For comparison, fiber-optic packages offered by operators to the general public reach a maximum of 10 Gbit / s. To achieve the speed suggested by the Japanese team, it would be necessary to assemble approximately 32,000 high-quality fiber boxes. This would load more than 300 4K movies… every second.

Already known technology

However, these defiant performances are not conditional on new revolutionary material. It is based on the same fiber optic technology that is already in our infrastructure. Instead of using a single fiber optic channel, the research team relied on a technology called “split wavelength“, or Weapons of mass destruction.

The idea is based on a combination of several “cores” of optical fibers. Thanks to this device, the signal can be distributed over different bands simultaneously. This avoids bearing all the loads on a single fibre, which in particular leads to interferences. It is somewhat like an extraordinary convoy of several chariots, each carrying part of a gigantic machine; Each vehicle will reduce traffic jams (interference) and get to its destination faster.

To achieve this record speed, the Japanese researchers used an optical fiber with four “cores”, and used a third “highway” to signal; In addition to the two types usually used in this type of application, they also used the S-band. They also subjected the signal to two new types of amplification, before undergoing the normal amplification process (talk aboutDe-Raman amplification).

Technology viable in the ‘short term’

As mentioned below, what makes this work so troublesome is its practical feasibility. The outer diameter of the fiber suggested by the team is Exactly identical to standard fiber optic cable. This has a huge impact. To move from existing networks to this type of technology, there will be no need to replace the entire infrastructure; The new is already compatible with the old.

Certainly, there are technologies capable of climbing much higher. In 2017, Rennes . started Caylabs It provided a Japanese operator with the technology that made it possible to achieve a speed of … 10 Pbit / s. This is several tens of global Internet speed. But these cables are gigantic, with 19 cores and are not at all suitable for current networks. This type of technology can only be used in specialized cases. On the other hand, that of NIICT directly applies to the existing network.

For researchers, this feature is critical.”Demonstrates the capabilities of standard compatibility fibers in the short-term implementation of high-speed fiber networksUnbelievable as it may sound, the insane speeds we can reach today may seem ridiculous much faster than you think!