Keeping up with the world’s need for ever-faster internet

The challenge

Keeping up with pressure on our internet infrastructure 

It’s predicted that by 2022, the world’s internet traffic will reach 4.8 zettabytes (or 700 billion Blu-ray discs). This puts more and more pressure on our internet infrastructure to carry more data, all with the need to consume less energy.  

Our response

Lessening the data burden with more robust infrastructure

In collaboration with researchers from Lanzhou University in China, we experimented with two novel approaches that could lessen the data burden on the optical networks that underpin our internet. 

One approach is the combination of two powerful materials – silicon nitride and lithium niobate – to make fabrication easier and data transfer amounts larger. The other novel approach is multiplexing – a technique that allows rapid transmission of data along multiple channels at the same time.

The results 

Creating a commercially available chip capable of rapid data transfer

The team were able to create a commercially available chip, capable of accurate and rapid data transfer. This finding also appeared in an article on the front cover of the January 2022 edition of the Laser and Photonics Reviews journal.

This paves the way to keep up with our demand for ever-faster internet transmission to future-proof our infrastructure for years to come.

Working with InPAC is lifting our work to a new height, everyone in the team has made an important contribution to the final results, the solid and active collaborations between us promote the smooth completion of this project.

- Lead author Xu Han, Lanzhou University