New AT&T system may sharply boost capacity of marine transmission cables

Article Abstract:

AT&T Bell Laboratories reports a fiber-optic transmission system that would send high volumes of communications traffic over long distances without using expensive signal regeneration equipment. The system combines optical fiber that contains erbium, a rare earth, with pump lasers that exploit the science of solitons, which are low-resistance waves. Erbium-doped fiber acts as a natural signal booster, so that there is no need for electrical conversion equipment. In work led by scientist Linn F. Mollenauer, signals have been transmitted over distances up to 10,000 kilometers with no electrical conversion. This research could benefit undersea cable systems, expanding capacity by as much as a factor of ten and cutting costs by a similar amount. According to Jack M. Sipress, director of undersea systems at Bell Labs, years of work need to be done, but 'this lays the foundation.'

COMMUNICATION, Communications Equipment, Fiber optics, Telecommunications, Submarine cables, Telecommunication, Erbium, Lucent Technologies Inc. Bell Laboratories, Communications Technology, Scientific Research, Solitons, Mollenauer, Linn F., Sipress, Jack M.

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IBM finds way to reduce costs of small lasers

Article Abstract:

IBM states that it has developed a low-cost way of making tiny lasers to be used in moving data between computers and distant storage devices. The computer maker says the technology may be able to transport data within computers, and even within computer chips. IBM, which would not comment on whether or not it would license the technology to other companies, says that the laser can be made in large quantities. The company is able to keep the production costs down because the lasers are being manufactured in existing facilities, and the testing process has been streamlined to cut those costs by 50 percent. Industry observers note that though IBM's method is not revolutionary, it is likely to shape the semiconductor laser market.

Electronic computers, Radio & TV communications equipment, Computer industry, Product development, International Business Machines Corp., IBM, Industrial research, International competition (Economics), Lasers, Laser, Research and Development, Japanese Competition

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