New Breakthrough In Optical Fiber Communications

Researchers at the University of Southamptom have discovered a breakthrough in optical fiber communications.

They've found a new approach that enables direction modulation of laser currents to generate highly advanced modulation format signals.

"Our paper highlights the exquisite control that we have achieved over the optical field generated directly from a current-modulated semiconductor laser," said Dr. Radan Slavik, a Principal Research Fellow at the ORC, in a news release. 

Though direct current modulated lasers are already used widely in optical communications, telecommunications and sensor and high power fibre laser systems, their inability to accurately control the full optical field that's directly emitted from such lasers results in a fundamental problem that limits applications.

"The new capability we have demonstrated will be of relevance and could be of significant impact within many scientific and engineering communities that are directly concerned with or exploit laser radiation," Dr. Slavik Concluded. "We have previously presented some of the results included in this paper at conferences, including a post-deadline presentation at Optical Fibre Communications (OFC), and at an international symposium and this has already generated a lot of interest from senior academics in our community, as well as from leading industrial players."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Nature Communications. 

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