New Branched Fiber Technology Accelerates Optical Network Expansion

NTT in Japan has achieved a significant breakthrough in connectivity by developing a technology that allows various types of optical fibres to branch and merge seamlessly without disrupting communications. This advancement is poised to revolutionize traditional network expansion methods, particularly in the realm of the Internet of Things (IoT), by reducing construction costs and time constraints.

The innovative technique involves creating optical fibres with a range of effective refractive indices, enabling smooth branching and merging processes. The groundbreaking results of this development will be unveiled at the upcoming Tsukuba Forum 20241, scheduled to take place next month.

One of the key challenges in expanding networks to accommodate the growing number of radio base stations and connected sensors is the need for a flexible optical infrastructure that facilitates quick and easy connections for various terminals. Historically, changing network configurations without disrupting communication has been a major hurdle, often necessitating the construction of new optical fibre cables or networks, leading to high equipment costs and lengthy network deployment timelines.

Traditional technologies for branching optical fibres typically require consistent propagation characteristics, such as effective refractive index, at both the source and destination points. This limitation has made it difficult to modify network configurations without service interruptions, as determining the effective refractive index of fibres usually involves halting services at the branching source.

NTT has developed a novel fabrication method for creating branched optical fibres with varying core diameter structures. By leveraging the relationship between core diameter and effective refractive index, these optical fibres can now possess a range of effective refractive indices, eliminating the need to match indices between source and destination fibres and avoiding service disruptions during branching.

This groundbreaking technology not only expands the possibilities for branching optical fibres beyond what was previously achievable with conventional fibres but also enables the seamless branching and merging of fibres compliant with international standards like ITU-T G.652 and ITU-T G.657.A1, commonly used in single-mode optical access networks. The flexibility offered by this advancement allows for the creation of optical networks that can be connected from any location without impacting communications, ultimately reducing construction costs for telecommunications carriers.

NTT is committed to further evaluating the environmental resilience of this technology and plans to conduct field verifications using prototype devices. The ongoing development and implementation of this innovative optical fibre connectivity solution are expected to have far-reaching implications for the future of network infrastructure and connectivity.

For more information about the Tsukuba Forum 20241, visit www.tsukuba-forum.jp.