[LINK] 640Gbps over fiber-optic with no errors

[Richard Chirgwin]

<plug>

I have two interviews with Professor Ben Eggleton here:
http://itradio.com.au/networking/?p=62
and here:
http://itradio.com.au/networking/?p=81

Cheers,
RC


stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:
> <http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/lans/2009/041309lan1.html?t51hb>
> 
> 
> . In a paper published in the Feb 16th edition of Optics Express, 
> researchers detail their approach for de-multiplexing signals at high 
> speeds, claiming that they were able to achieve 640Gbps over fiber-optic 
> lines with no errors. 
> 
>  <http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-17-4-2182>
> 
> The material they used in the chip is chalcogenide, and Australian 
> researchers were talking about the high-speed networking possibilities of 
> the material last summer. 
> 
>  <http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/07/09/1215282927991.html>
> 
> Calling it "just a piece of scratched glass," they said it could 
> potentially be cheap to produce. 
> 
> At these bit rates, the researchers say that it is only possible to 
> perform switching with an all-optical system, using optical time-division 
> multiplexing.  And chalcogenide allows for "femtosecond response time".
> 
> Recently, Sreedhar Kajeepeta, a CTO at CSC, wrote about how a Terabit 
> Ethernet could be used. 
> 
> Presumably, it would not just be used for aggregating lower-speed links, 
> but would inspire us to reach higher, to new applications, perhaps to 
> something called Augmented Reality. That application is where real-life 
> video and audio are combined with virtual video and audio. 
> 
> 
> Also: <http://www.networkworld.com/news/tech/2009/033009-tech-update.html>
> 
> By Sreedhar Kajeepeta , Network World , 03/30/2009 
> 
> Looking down the LAN road, the Terabit Ethernet milestone is very much in 
> sight. 
> 
> While 3.2Tbps and 6.4Tbps speeds were demonstrated in test environments 
> by Siemens/WorldCom and NEC/Nortel respectively starting in 2001, the 
> first set of viable solutions are just now taking shape. 
> 
> The Feb. 16th edition of Optics Express included a paper detailing the 
> efforts of researchers from Australia, Denmark and China who joined 
> forces to demonstrate the feasibility of a Terabit Ethernet over regular 
> fiber-optic cables. Terabit speeds bring us to the x1Million improvement 
> in speed from where Ethernet started in 1976. 
> 
> By focusing on materials research related to fiber-optic circuits, 
> Australia's Center for Ultra-high bandwidth Device for Optical Systems 
> (CUDOS) achieved a breakthrough with the introduction of an exotic 
> compound called "Chalcogenide" that could make commercializing Terabit 
> circuits practical. 
> 
> Although CUDOS Research Director Ben Eggleton says it will take years to 
> reach production readiness, this does coincide with Bob Metcalfe's 
> prediction that we may start seeing the first commercial use of Terabit 
> Ethernets by 2015. 
> 
> Today, of course, the industry is focused on shorter-term goals. 
> 
> The IEEE 802.3ba is working on 40GbE and 100GbE standards, and NTT is the 
> first company to announce a reliable 100GbE circuit. But many network 
> vendors are focusing on 10GbE, in particular, development of cost-
> effective 10GbE interfaces for copper so buyers don't have to upgrade to 
> fiber-optics. 
> 
>>From their debut in 2001, 10GbE switches have indeed become more 
> affordable, dropping from about $40,000 to $4,000. Industry analysts 
> expect 10GbE adoption to jump 30% this year. 
> 
> Most campus LANs are getting by with speeds of 100Mbps, but there are 
> examples of 1GbE and 10GbE switches at the server and backbone layers, 
> and also the use of fiber-optics between servers. And most laptops ship 
> with an Ethernet card capable of handling 1Gbps or even 10Gbps..
> 
> --
> 
> Cheers,
> Stephen
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