BREAKTHROUGH OPTICAL AMPLIFIER Extends Range To 4000 km

摘要

At CHALMERS UNIVERSITY of Tech-nology in Gothenburg, Sweden (www. Chalmers.se/en), researchers have successfully demonstrated an optical amplifier that can amplify light with extremely low noise. This breakthrough allows optical- fiber signals to reach and be detected across greater distances from 1000 to 4000 km. Clearly, this capability could result in increased capacity for data communications. For example, the use of such new amplifiers could lead to better traffic on the Internet as well as improved laser radar technology. It also may further applications thatrequire the detection of very weak levels of light, such as free-space communication.