It wasn’t that long ago that GPT-4o shocked the world and made people more aware that AI capabilities know no boundaries. In the era of AI+, from improving efficiency and reliability to enabling new services and applications, the synergies between AI and fiber optic networks are driving the next wave of technological advances.
One of the most significant features of the AI+ era is that “everything is AI”, and behind AI is new infrastructure such as computing power and connectivity. Under the background of centralized network functions, optical transport networks need to cope with higher bandwidth, higher stability and reliability requirements, and have more intelligent network operation and remote maintenance capabilities. High-quality fiber networks based on new fiber technology enable AI to process and analyze data at higher speeds, thus providing new possibilities for innovation in more industries and fields.
The current advancements and transformations have presented five major challenges for optical communication networks: ultra-large-scale networking, ultra-high-speed interconnection, ultra-low latency, ultra-high reliability, and intelligent management and control of operation and maintenance. In the face of these challenges, are commercial optical fibers currently capable? The next generation of optical fiber should possess five key characteristics: high performance with low loss and strong anti-nonlinear effects; large capacity with wide bandwidth; low construction cost; low power consumption; and improved transmission capacity while reducing the cost per bit.
With the advancement of optical fiber technology, the industry will increasingly prioritize air division multiplexing fiber and air core fiber. Air division multiplexing fiber encompasses multi-core fiber, low-mode fiber, and other variants for transmitting different signals in distinct spatial positions. This method is akin to constructing an elevated frame on a road to expand lanes and enhance vehicle flow. Hollow core fiber differs from conventional solid silicon-based fibers due to its hollow inner core, ultra-low loss, minimal dispersion, and propagation speed approaching that of light. It represents a potential ideal medium for future ultra-high-speed optical transmission systems.
Post time: Aug-20-2024