Siemens tests 1Gbps polymer optical fiber

Researchers at Siemens have transmitted data over polymer optical fiber cable at around 1Gbps, opening up new possibilities for the technology, including easy-to-build home networks linking PCs and high-definition TVs

“Polymer cable enables do-it-yourself installations,” project manager Sebastian Randel said Tuesday. Unlike optical fiber made from glass, “It’s flexible and it’s easy to cut and insert in connectors.”

The cable is around 1 millimeter thick, doesn’t break easily, and can be cut with a razor blade, according to Randel.

Although glass optical fiber, which is widely used in long-distance and local loop networks, can carry data at much higher speeds than the polymer version, it is also much thicker once wrapped in a protective shield, and breaks if bent too tightly, according to Randel. Cutting it cleanly to attach connectors or make joints requires a diamond blade, he said.

Demand for easy-to-install, low-cost home networking systems is growing as new high-speed services such as IPTV (Internet Protocol television) hit the market.

The twisted copper pair used in Ethernet networks is more of a competitor to polymer fiber in home networking because it is thinner and more flexible than glass optical fiber, Randel said. However, it’s difficult to attach connectors, requiring special tools.

While Wi-Fi eliminates the need for cables altogether, it can’t guarantee constant and robust transmission required for services such as IPTV, according to Randel.

Siemens researchers transmitted TV signals at 1008Mbps over a 100 meter-long test network, without errors or flickering on the screen, he said.

Rather than transmit each bit as a pulse of light, they modulated the light signal using a technique similar to that used by DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) to send signals over copper wires, allowing each pulse of light to carry several bits of information.

The overal effect was to increase the rate at which data was transmitted: Previous top speeds achieved over polymer were around 100Mbps.

In addition to home networks, polymer cable could be used in factories, where rugged, low-cost cables are the standard, according to Siemens.

Randel was unable to say when a 1Gbps polymer cable product would be available and what it would cost but said the Siemens research team proved that the technology works.