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Will there be a new revolution with hollow-core fiber optics?

Digital communications, wherever we are in the world, are made possible almost instantaneously by tiny packets of data travelling vast distances from one server to another via tiny strands of optical fiber. We take it almost for granted that every time we pick up a mobile phone, switch on a computer, or even a smart TV, that we will be instantly connected to the internet in the blink of an eye.

Innovation of fiber

In the late 19th century, scientists realised it was possible to transmit images by refracting light through glass rods, and optical fiber was born. The first functional optical fiber data transmission system was demonstrated in 1965, and the rest, as they say, is history – although it took many decades of technological innovation and infrastructure development to make optical fiber a financially viable alternative to copper wire.

Nowadays, optical fiber networks are universal. In the era of increased gaming and streaming, the world has developed an appetite for ever-faster broadband speeds and connectivity efficiency and now, a new technological development could be the first step to open optical fiber speeds. The likes of which we have never seen before. That technology is hollow-core fiber.

Let’s introduce hollow-core fiber

What even is hollow-core fiber? Compared to traditional optical fiber, which transmits photons in waves down a solid inner core of very high purity materials such as silica or germania, hollow-core fiber is exactly what it says on the tin. The literal 'hollow core' is surrounded by anti-resonant, glass-based hollow fibers that reflect light back onto the core, effectively trapping the signal in the optical mode at the very center of the cable.

Hollow-core is not a new technology; the idea has been around for some time now. However, until recently it was not known if it would ever be a viable alternative to solid fiber. In September 2019, the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) based at the University of Southampton demonstrated the longest ever hollow-core fiber transmission at the 2019 European Conference on Optical Communication in Dublin, demonstrating a loss of only 0.65 dB/km over 340 km.

Loss and damage

Conventional optical fiber can be susceptible to damage and dispersion, and ultimately, as the march of technological innovation pushes onwards, it is limited by its finite spectral transparency and non-linear impairments. The underlying principle of hollow-core fiber’s advantage over traditional silica is that light travels faster through the air than solids or liquids.

Loss, otherwise known as attenuation, is commonly caused by radiation, absorption, and scattering. By limiting such losses as much as possible, the fiber allows light and the information it carries to travel great distances from the original source.

It could be possible that hollow-core fiber will enable faster data transmission than its solid counterpart, with lower losses and a higher capacity for data transmission. But it’s not likely to totally supplant traditional optical fiber in terrestrial telecommunication systems.

The applications for this technology extend far beyond communications; for instance, it could lead to new manufacturing technologies by using intense laser light transmitted through hollow-core fibers and could also be used for medical purposes such as imaging technology or the treatment of diseased tissues using laser light.

Bulgin solutions

It may be some time until hollow-core fiber starts to become viable, and until then, we won’t really know what the technology is capable of. In the meantime, Bulgin offers a range of rugged fiber connectors to keep optical fiber used in harsh environments safe from the dangers of contamination.

The 4000 series provides an industry-standard LC interface as specified by IEC 61754-20. To save time and simplify installation, the connectors are available as pre-terminated options, already connected to a suitable cable of up to 450m in length.

Product code: PXF4050

Like the 4000 Series Fiber, the 6000 Series Fiber duplex connector is suited for outdoor broadcasting, FTTx, server room engineering, civil engineering, aviation, and rail applications.

The 6000 Series harsh environment optical connector is designed for years of service in areas where unprotected physical contact fiber isn’t an option. Featuring a secure, yet easy to operate, 30-degree locking mechanism, this series has field-proven IP68 and IP69K performance.

In comparison to the simplex 4000 Series Fiber connector, the additional glass fiber on this duplex cable can double the data transmission capabilities where required.

Product code: PXF6050

Visit Bulgin’s Connectivity Community for expert advice and for more information on optical fiber connectors please visit the Bulgin website.

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