World Record in Data Transmission Hit with 1.02 Petabits (120M GB) Per Second

A new world record has been set in the field of optical communications. Researchers from Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) alongside Sumitomo Electric Industries and partners have successfully transmitted 1.02 petabits per second — about 120 million gigs (GB) of data — per second over a distance of over 1,808 kilometers — over 1,120 miles (which is roughly the distance from New York City to Kansas City — using a newly developed 19-core optical fiber with a standard cladding diameter.

In simple terms, 1 petabit per second is equal to 1 million billion bits of data, enough to store about 120 million gigabytes of data, or the equivalent of millions of high-definition movies. It’s a rate that far exceeds current communication speeds and shows new possibilities in moving enormous amount of data over long distances using fiber that’s compatible with existing infrastructure.

The Breakthrough

Traditional optical fibers typically use a single core to transmit data, which is the central part of the fiber that carries data signals. In this experiment, the team used multi-core fiber combining the capacity of 19 separate fibers into a single line, all while maintaining the same size as a conventional optical fiber. This allowed for a record-setting capacity-distance product of 1.86 exabits per second-km, the highest ever recorded for a fiber of this size.

Traditional optical fibers typically use a single core to transmit data, which is the central part of the fiber that carries signals. In this experiment, the team used multi-core fiber, combining the capacity of 19 separate cores into a single cable, all while maintaining the same size as a conventional fiber. This setup helped it achieve a record capacity-distance product of approximately 1.86 exabits per second per kilometer (which is roughly 3 exabits per second per mile), the highest ever recorded for a fiber of this size.

While multi-core fibers have been used before, they were limited to shorter distances. This new development allows for high-speed data transmission over a much greater range, a significant step forward for global data networks.

• Multi-core, standard cladding: The optical fiber has a 0.125 mm cladding diameter, which refers to the outer protective layer of the fiber. This standard size is compatible with existing fiber networks, meaning it can be integrated into current infrastructure without requiring major changes.
• Signal Processing: The team used MIMO (Multi-Input Multi-Output) digital signal processing, a technique that helps manage interference between the multiple cores of the fiber, ensuring signal quality is maintained over long distances.
• Wavelengths and Modulation: A total of 180 wavelengths in the C-band (1,530 to 1,565 nm) and L-band (1,565 to 1,625 nm) were used, which are specific ranges of light wavelengths ideal for long-distance fiber optic transmission. Each wavelength was modulated with 16QAM (16 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), a technique that allows more data to be packed into each wavelength, improving the transmission capacity.
• Optical Amplification: The development of new amplifiers allowed signals to be boosted and transmitted over long distances with minimal signal loss, ensuring high-quality data transmission across the extended range

Researchers compared 1.02 petabits per second being equivalent to handling over 20 times Japan’s total broadband download traffic — in just a second. This level of performance could have significant implications for:

• High-capacity long-distance communication: Connecting continents with high-speed, reliable fiber networks
• Data centers: Enabling faster, more efficient data processing and storage
• Future internet infrastructure: Supporting the increasing demand for data-driven technologies like cloud computing, AI, and streaming

While the experiment is still in the research phase, the results represent a significant milestone in optical fiber technology. It demonstrates the potential for faster, more efficient internet networks that could support the growing demand for data and enable the next generation of communication infrastructure.