FEATURE
SPACE MANUFACTURED ZBLAN: Using Microgravity to Test the Theoretical Limits of Optical Fiber
A
t the core of today’s electronic Information Age is an insatiable demand for data processing power. Under our oceans, vast lines of fiber optic cabling already connect us, revolutionizing the way we interact, communicate and conduct business across continents. Every year, new contracts are awarded for even more data lines, yet more than 50 percent of the world’s population remains without Internet connectivity. As new technologies come online such as virtual and augmented reality, 4K and 8K televisions, and the expansion of the Internet of things, demand for increased data transmission capabilities will only increase. In anticipation, we must evaluate our existing infrastructure. Will it support the rapid speeds needed for future data transmission? Right now, current submarine cables use fiber optics made from silica. There are hundreds of thousands of kilometers of submarine telecommunications that enable the world to be connected through telephones, video calls and the internet. These cables have revolutionized the way humans interact with each other by being able to communicate with an individual or business 10,000 kilometers away instantaneously. New contracts for additional cables are awarded each year seeking to connect more individuals in remote locations or
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SUBMARINE TELECOMS MAGAZINE
BY ANDREW RUSH
expand existing network capacity because of the exponential increase in data usage. Just over 50% of the world’s population is now connected to the internet1 in some form and this percentage has been continuously rising since the turn of the century. This means that the existing network capacity must increase as the number of users rises maintaining fast internet speeds to support the ever-expansive use of data. Modern technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, 4K television and the internet of things are requiring substantial amounts of data to be consumed in a rapid manner and with more users coming online than ever before, the infrastructure for this data transfer must be analyzed. Current submarine cables use fiber optics made from silica material. This material has been the industry standard for several decades with fiber achieving better results year over year. The material properties for silica have drawbacks which can hinder the use of the cable overall. Limited range for signal wavelength, high attenuation compared to other fiber types and required use of repeaters in the underwater cable to amplify the light source are all items which allow for other materials to be considered for use in long telecommunications cables. Using specialized fiber optic cables for telecommunications, an increase the data rate and