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A New Type of Hollow Glass Fiber, Created by Researchers at Southampton University, Promises to Transform the Global Internet. The Innovation Uses Air Channels Instead of Solid Glass, Allowing for More Powerful, Faster, and Cost-Effective Transmissions, as Well as Opening Up Space for Quantum Communication
The next revolution of the internet could come from a hollow glass fiber. Researchers at Southampton University have developed a fiber that guides light through small channels filled with air. This innovation replaces the solid glass core used in current cables and promises to transform large-scale data transport.
The main difference is in the path taken by the light. By traveling through air instead of glass, the signals experience less energy loss. This allows for more efficient transmission and reaches greater distances without the need for boosting.
Gains in Efficiency and Range
In conventional fibers, half of the signal is lost every 15 to 20 kilometers. This necessitates the installation of relay stations frequently.
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The new design increases this range to about 33 kilometers before losing half of the light. According to researcher Francesco Poletti, this results in significant savings because it reduces the number of boosting points.
Additionally, the new fibers can carry more than a thousand times the power of traditional versions. They can also transmit signals over a broader range of wavelengths, including single-photon pulses used in quantum communication systems. This expands their potential not only for current networks but also for future technologies.
Speed and Practical Applications
Hollow fibers are not entirely new. Previous models had been applied in specific situations, such as interlinking processing units within data centers. The advantage comes from the fact that light travels 45% faster in air than in glass.
The issue has always been the cost and difficulty of large-scale production. Poletti, an expert in photonics and materials science, has been working on this project for over ten years. The difference in the current version is in the structural design, with five small cylinders, each containing two inner cylinders, fixed around a larger cylinder. This arrangement keeps the light pulses confined in the hollow core.
The Path to Scale Production
Manufacturing is still a challenge. While common fibers are produced by melting and stretching solid glass, the Southampton team starts from a pre-form of glass 20 centimeters wide, already with the hollow channels. As the piece is stretched to about 100 micrometers in diameter, the pressure preserves the internal structure.
This process has already entered the commercialization phase. The company Lumenisity, created from the university, is responsible for production. In 2022, Microsoft acquired the company, signaling the sector’s interest in accelerating the use of the technology.
Interest of the Scientific Community
If the fibers demonstrate durability and economic viability, they could lower costs and accelerate telecommunications systems. They are also expected to support future quantum communication networks. Researcher Tracy Northup from the University of Innsbruck highlighted that the result draws attention in the scientific community. According to her, until now, the high cost made even small-scale experiments unfeasible. The expectation is that volume production will reduce prices and enable advancements.
The results were published in the journal Nature Photonics and represent an important step towards a faster, more efficient internet that is ready for the future.
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