- Growth of capacity-hungry services is putting existing networks under strain
- They have developed a dual-stage, Bismuth-Doped Fibre Amplifier (BDFA) which has broad bandwidth, high gain and low noise
- Team have explored how to further increase the capacity of optical networks.
Researchers from Aston University have developed a groundbreaking amplifier design that could increase the data-carrying capacity of fibre optic networks - the backbone of the modern internet.
Fibre-optic networks make online services, streaming, gaming, file sharing and the digital economy possible. However, continuous growth of capacity-hungry services, including the recent boom in artificial intelligence is putting existing networks under strain. To address this research associate Dr Shabnam Noor and a team from the Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AIPT) have explored how to further increase the capacity of optical communication systems.
As a result they have developed a dual-stage, Bismuth-Doped Fibre Amplifier (BDFA) which has broad bandwidth, high gain and low noise. Like multiple bands in radio communications (short, medium and long wave), Multi-Band Transmission (MBT) is a key strategy for improving optical communication networks by using bandwidth beyond traditional C (“Conventional”) and L (“Long”) optical bands. The BDFA is a new type of optical fibre amplifier made using speciality fibre doped with bismuth, which can provide optical gain in non-conventional spectral regions, the so-called S- (“Short”) and E- (“Extended”) bands, adjacent to the C- and L-bands.
By integrating such advanced amplification technologies, MBT systems can transmit more information in a single fibre, in a broader bandwidth, without the need for new fibre installations. The team, which includes Dr Aleksandr Donodin, Professor Sergei Turitsyn and Professor Wladek Forysiak, suggests that BDFAs could help to drive the adoption of MBT, providing a greener upgrade path to current optical networks. Also they propose that dual-stage design could be used together with Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs) to enhance signal switching, routing and networking.
Dr Noor said: “As the demand for fibre optic communication continues to grow, expanding the data-carrying capacity of optical networks has become a top priority. Our study demonstrates that a new BDFA design enhances the range and flexibility of optical communication networks, making it a promising solution for future telecommunications infrastructure.”
She presented her research at The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) which took place between March 30 to April 3 in San Francisco.
John Ballato, an OFC subcommittee chair for “D-Track: Devices, Components and FIbers” from Clemson University, USA said: “This study makes important advancements in multi-band amplification and moves us closer to realising such devices in the systems that impact our daily lives.”
- Notes to Editors
About OFC 2025
The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) is the leading event for professionals in optical networking and communications. Celebrating 50 years of innovation, OFC brings together researchers, engineers, and industry leaders to showcase the latest advancements shaping the future of optical technology. The event features over 650 high-impact, peer-reviewed presentations, alongside a dynamic exhibition floor hosting global technology leaders.
OFC 2025 will take place in person from March 30 to April 3, 2025, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. Full conference registrants will also have on-demand access to recorded sessions post-conference.
About Aston University
For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally.
Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.
Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming The Guardian University of the Year in 2020.
Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk
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