With the explosion of data traffic, our communications networks are struggling to keep pace. According to projections, the volume of information exchanged worldwide could double by 2030, particularly due to the rise of artificial intelligence, streaming, and connected objects. To absorb this digital flood, current infrastructures will have to adapt.
A leap forward for fiber optic communications
It is in this context that researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden are announcing a breakthrough: an optical amplifier capable of increasing tenfold the amount of data transmitted per second over fiber optic networks. "The amplifiers used today offer a bandwidth of around 30 nanometers. "Ours reaches 300 nanometers," explains Peter Andrekson, professor of photonics and lead author of the study published in Nature.
The amplifier, made from silicon nitride, is based on a complex structure of spiral waveguides. This design optimizes the flow of light and limits losses. The result: reduced noise, a more stable signal, and the ability to amplify extremely weak transmissions—such as those used in space communications.
While this new component is of interest to the telecommunications sector, it could also revolutionize other fields, including medicine. Thanks to its wide bandwidth, the amplifier is capable of processing light signals in a wide variety of wavelengths, including visible and infrared. This paves the way for more precise medical lasers, capable of imaging or analyzing tissue with greater finesse.
"With a few adjustments, its use could be extended to visible light, making it useful for diagnosis, analysis, or medical treatment," adds Peter Andrekson. The goal: to detect certain diseases earlier thanks to better resolution and smaller systems.
Miniaturized to a chip just a few centimeters in size, Chalmers' amplifier can also be integrated into all sorts of devices, and its modular design makes it easy to duplicate for more powerful systems. A single laser using this technology could therefore be used in microscopy, holography, advanced imaging, or materials characterization.
Another significant advantage: cost. More compact and more energy-efficient, the amplifier would reduce the size and price of laser equipment, making these technologies more accessible. This would meet the growing demand in hospitals, research centers, and even industries.
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