The demand for high-speed internet is growing fast, with technologies like self-driving cars, 6G mobile networks, and quantum communication pushing fiber optic networks to their limits.
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF) in Germany have teamed up with partners to find new ways to make fiber optic networks more efficient.
Their solution? Using liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) mirrors to better manage data traffic.
Fiber optic cables send data using light, allowing fast transmission.
However, current systems are struggling to handle the increasing demand for data. To improve this, Fraunhofer IOF worked on two projects, WESORAM and Multi-Cap, to develop new ways to manage fiber optic signals.
A common technology used today is wavelength-division multiplexing, which splits light signals into multiple frequencies to increase data capacity. But this method only works within a limited frequency range.
The WESORAM project has taken this further by adding space-division multiplexing, which distributes data across different fiber strands, increasing network capacity.
The WESORAM project introduced flexible switching using LCoS mirrors. These mirrors help direct signals from multiple input channels to different output channels as needed. This allows the network to handle data traffic more efficiently, especially over long distances like between cities.
“With our technology, we can send signals from eight input channels to 16 output channels, making fiber optic networks more flexible and capable of handling more data,” says project leader Dr. Steffen Trautmann. Another benefit is that fewer optical switches are needed, lowering costs for network providers.
Another improvement comes from increasing the resolution of the optical module. By developing a new type of grating, Fraunhofer IOF researchers have improved spectral resolution from 100 GHz to 25 GHz. This means the data packets are four times smaller, allowing more data to be transmitted at the same time, significantly boosting speed and efficiency.
The project involved partners like Adtran, a network specialist in Thuringia, and Holoeye, a Berlin-based company specializing in optical systems. Fraunhofer IOF designed the optical system, built a beam splitter, and integrated all components into a compact part.
The WESORAM project is closely linked to another initiative called Multi-Cap, which focuses on multi-core fiber technology. Traditional fiber optic cables have only one core for data transmission, but multi-core fibers contain multiple cores, enabling much higher data capacity without increasing cable size.
To support this, Fraunhofer IOF developed a multi-core fiber amplifier that can boost signals across up to 12 channels at once, increasing efficiency while using less energy. Instead of requiring 12 separate amplifiers, just one module can now do the job.
These advancements in fiber optic technology will play a key role in the future of high-speed data transmission.
Whether it’s powering smart cities, enabling 6G mobile networks, or improving internet speeds for everyday users, innovations like LCoS mirrors and multi-core fiber amplifiers are making sure our networks can keep up with the growing demand for data.
