Optical fiber cable signal error-free transmission distance increased to 5890 kilometers

Recently, researchers from University College London demonstrated a new method of processing optical fiber cable signals. Researchers claim that this method can double the error-free transmission distance of signals through submarine fiber optic cables. Because the new method does not need to strengthen the signal, it has the potential to cut the cost of long-distance optical fiber communications.

This research, funded by the British Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, improves the transmission distance by eliminating the interaction between different optical channels via a fiber optic cable.

Research leader Robert Maher said: “By eliminating the interaction between optical channels, we can double the error-free signal transmission distance from 3190 kilometers to 5890 kilometers. This is also the largest distance increase reported in the system architecture. .”
“The challenge is to design a technology that can simultaneously capture a group of optical channels with a single receiver, called a super channel.” Maher added.

Researchers use a 16QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) super channel, which contains a set of frequencies. These frequencies can be encoded using amplitude, phase, and frequency to create a high-capacity optical signal. Utilizing a high-speed super receiver and a new signal processing technology developed by the team that can receive all channels without errors, the super channels can then be detected.

Now, the researchers plan to test new methods for dense super channels that are commonly used in digital cable television (64QAM), wired modems (256QAM), and Ethernet connections (1024QAM).

Polina Bayve, Professor of Optical Communications and Networking, added: “We are very pleased to report this important discovery, which will improve PV wire communications. Our method can greatly increase the efficiency of data transmission, almost double the signal transmission distance, which may greatly reduce the existing The cost of business systems. One of the biggest global challenges we face is how to maintain communications under the prosperous Internet demand. Overcoming the capacity limitations of fiber optic cables is the key to solving the problem.”