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Caltech laser quadruples Internet speed

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology a laser that is capable of making Internet backbone speed four times faster.

The laser operates closer to a single frequency than other laser so it is able to increase the amount of data it can carry on fibre optic cables, according to Amron Yariv, of the laser’s developers.

In an interview with the daily newspaper Washington Post, he said an Internet backbone channel running at 40 Gbps will potentially increase to 160 Gbps.

The findings of the Caltech researchers were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. The paper explains how the group overcame “noise” inherent in the principal light source of fibre communication channels that slow down bandwidth on fibre optic networks.

“By incorporating a very high-Q optical resonator as an integral part of a hybrid Si/III-V laser cavity, we can remove most of the model energy from the optically lossy III-V active region, thereby reducing the spontaneous emission rate while increasing the number of phase-stabilizing stored photons.”

Yariv said the group will continue to work on its laser to further increase its capability.

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Nestor E. Arellano
Nestor E. Arellano
Toronto-based journalist specializing in technology and business news. Blogs and tweets on the latest tech trends and gadgets.

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