A project led by ETH Zurich has pioneered data transmission through the air, paving the way for a new era of telecommunications. The old telephone lines and submarine cables could soon be overtaken by an innovative technology, constituted by laser beams. This solution could overcome the limitations and costs of submarine cables, making data transmission faster, cheaper and more accessible.
Laser innovation for data transmission
Currently, data transmission over long distances is entrusted to a complex network of fiber optic cables. These require huge financial investments and logistical efforts for their installation and maintenance. Costs for submarine cables run into the hundreds of millions of dollars each. Submarine cables also take a long time to install. However, these are capable of carrying over 100 terabits of information every second. The ETH Zurich project sets itself an ambitious goal and offers an alternative and potentially game-changing solution. In fact, it uses laser beams to transmit terabits through the air.
The main challenge for laser data transmission is atmospheric interference. However, researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a special chip and 100 tiny adjustable mirrors to address this problem. These mirrors allow you to correct the phase shift of the laser beam, improving the quality of the signal. The developed system demonstrated an extraordinary capacity of transmitting 1 terabit of data per second using only one wavelength. The tiny adjustable mirrors used in the system were a real revolution. In fact, they are able to precisely correct the phase shift of the laser beam at their intersecting surface, making gradient measurements up to 1,500 times per second. This extraordinary capability results in an impressive improvement in signals, increasing their quality and reliability by a factor of approximately 500.
Project objectives
The laser-based data transmission project conducted by ETH Zurich and its European partners is part of the European Horizon 2020 programme. It came to life through an experiment conducted between the majestic Jungfraujoch peak and the city of Bern. In this initiative, project partners carried out data transmission tests using a laser system over a distance of 53 kilometres. This test was fundamental in evaluating the effectiveness and feasibility of the technology, paving the way for new perspectives and challenges in the field of optical data transmission. The goal is to create a reliable and efficient high-speed data transmission system that can be used on a global scale. This project represents an ambitious challenge, but also a unique opportunity to promote technological innovation in the field of telecommunications.
The advantages of the new technology
This system represents a real breakthrough. Until now, the available options were limited. It was possible to connect long distances using narrow bandwidth of a few gigabits, or cover short distances of a few meters with high bandwidth using free-space lasers. However, thanks to this new innovative system, it will be possible to reach an incredible speed of 1 terabit per second using a single wavelength.
This technology could revolutionize the way information is transmitted at scale. Using a network of satellites in low Earth orbit, even greater distances could be covered. This could make expensive submarine cables obsolete, simplifying data transmission operations over long distances. Furthermore, the use of laser beams would allow for faster and more reliable transmission. The increased speed and reliability of laser transmission could pave the way for new digital services and applications that require high bandwidth. The system can be easily expanded using standard technologies. This allows for a capacity of 40 terabits per second to be achieved through the use of 40 channels. The expandability feature paves the way for a wide range of future applications.
Master’s student in Energy Engineering at the University of Bologna, always passionate about scientific dissemination, especially everything related to the environment and sustainability. Writing has given me the opportunity to meet new worlds and discover new interests, which is why despite having started as an author for #EnergyCuE since November 2020, today I collaborate for the entire network.