A great record in internet world

World data transfer record back in
Danish hands
Researchers at DTU Fotonik have reclaimed
the world data transfer record.
The world champions in data transmission
are to be found in Lynbgy, where the High-
Speed Optical Communications (HSOC) team
at DTU Fotonik has just secured yet another
world record. This time, the team has
eclipsed the record that was set by
researchers at the Karlsruhe Institut für
Technologie, by proving that it is possible to
transfer fully 43 terabits per second with just
a single laser in the transmitter. This is an
appreciable improvement on the German
team’s previous record of 32 terabits per
second.
The worldwide competition in data speed is
contributing to developing the technology
intended to accommodate the immense
growth of data traffic on the internet, which
is estimated to be growing by 40–50 per cent
annually. What is more, emissions linked to
the total energy consumption of the internet
as a whole currently correspond to more than
two per cent of the global man-made carbon
emissions—which puts the internet on a par
with the transport industry (aircraft, shipping
etc.). However, these other industries are not
growing by 40 per cent a year. It is therefore
essential to identify solutions for the internet
that make significant reductions in energy
consumption while simultaneously expanding
the bandwidth. This is precisely what the
DTU team has demonstrated with its latest
world record. DTU researchers have
previously helped achieve the highest
combined data transmission speed in the
world—an incredible 1 petabit per second—
although this involved using hundreds of
lasers.
The researchers achieved their latest record
by using a new type of optical fibre borrowed
from the Japanese telecoms giant NNT. This
type of fibre contains seven cores (glass
threads) instead of the single core used in
standard fibres, which makes it possible to
transfer even more data. Despite the fact that
it comprises seven cores, the new fibre does
not take up any more space than the
standard version.
The researchers’ record result has been
verified and presented in what is known as a
‘post deadline paper’ at the CLEO 2014
international conference.
The High-Speed Optical Communications
team at DTU Fotonik has held the world
record in data transmission on numerous
occasions. Back in 2009, these researchers
were the first in the world to break the
‘terabit barrier’, which was considered an
almost insurmountable challenge at that
time, when they succeeded in transmitting
more than 1 terabit per second—again using
just a single laser. The benchmark has now
been raised to 43 Tbit/s.
MILESTONES IN DTU’S HIGH-SPEED
RESEARCH
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March 2009:
The High-Speed Optical Communications
(HSOC) team at DTU Fotonik breaks the
terabit barrier.
October 2009:
Researchers from DTU Fotonik set a new
world record by transferring 5.1 terabits per
second.
2011:
Researchers from DTU Fotonik set a new
record by transferring 9.5 terabits per
second.
2014:
DTU Fotonik breaks the world record yet
again, transmitting 43 terabits per second.