Ten Times More Throughput on Optic Fibers

Two EPFL scientists have shown how to achieve a dramatic increase in the capacity of optical fibers. Their simple, innovative solution reduces the amount of space required between the pulses of light that transport data. The breakthrough could increase the throughput of data in tele systems by a factor of ten. Optical fibers carry data in the form of pulses of light over distances of thousands of miles at amazing speeds. They are one of the glories of modern tele technology. However, their capacity is limited, because the pulses of light need to be lined up one after the other in the fiber with a minimum distance between them so the signals don't interfere with each other. This leaves unused empty space in the fiber.