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University of Illinois Transmits Record 57Gbps Through Fiber Optic Lines (digitaltrends.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the that's-a-lot-of-data dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Digital Trends: Engineers at the University of Illinois have set a new record for fiber-optic data transmission, breaking previous theories that fiber optics have a limit in how much data they can carry. The engineers transmitted 57Gbps of error-free data at room temperature. The group, led by Professor Milton Feng, improved on its previous work in 2014, when it achieved 40Gbps. The keywords here are "error free," which is what makes this research unique from others that claim faster speeds. Fang said, "There is a lot of data out there, but if your data transmission is not fast enough, you cannot use data that's been collected; you cannot use upcoming technologies that use large data streams, like virtual reality. The direction toward fiber-optic communication is going to increase because there's a higher speed data rate, especially over distance." Engadget writes in an update to a similar report: "Reader Tanj notes that this is specifically a record for VCSEL (vertical cavity surface-emitting laser) fiber, not fiber as a whole."

6 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. Standard units please by sjbe · · Score: 4, Funny

    Please convert to standard units Library Of Congress's transmitted per micro-fortnight

  2. So much slower than 100GBase-RZ...? by ffkom · · Score: 4, Informative

    Excuse me, but even after reading the linked article it eludes me how this is an advancement over existing technology like 100GBase-ZR EtherNet lines (operating at ~ 120 Gbaud per fiber)?

    1. Re: So much slower than 100GBase-RZ...? by Geordish · · Score: 3, Informative

      Not quite. Those optics use DP-QPSK, which uses mathematical magic to cram 4 bits worth of information into one symbol. This means the optics only need to operate at 25Gbps to supply a 100Gbps line rate.

      DP-QPSK is a whole load of magic I don't understand.

      If DP-QPSK can be used with this technology, it seems to imply 200Gbps optics are not too far away.

    2. Re:So much slower than 100GBase-RZ...? by Lumpy · · Score: 2

      Because 100GBase-ZR is useless over a 1000 mile long single mode fiber.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  3. Error free? by rfengr · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Lousy article; no details. There is no such thing as error free, so what is the threshold? 1E-9?

  4. Fiber optics have a limit by manu0601 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Summary says:

    breaking previous theories that fiber optics have a limit in how much data they can carry

    In other words, fiber optics would have no limit in how much data they can carry, which it utterly bullshit. How someone could write that?