A groundbreaking study published in Nature Photonics on September 1, 2025, unveils a newly developed hollow-core optical fibre—designed like a “glass straw”—that could transform data communication by enabling faster, longer-distance transmission with dramatically lower signal loss Nature.
What’s New?
Unlike conventional solid glass fibres, this innovative design features a hollow core surrounded by finely tuned nested glass cylinders. When light of the right wavelength travels through the hollow centre, it remains contained, drastically reducing loss and maintaining signal strength over longer distances Nature Cosmos.
Key advantages include:
- 45% faster data transmission, thanks to air guiding light more efficiently than glass Cosmos.
- Record-low signal attenuation—0.091 dB/km at 1,550 nm—surpassing traditional silica fibres, and extending low-loss transmission across 66 THz bandwidth Phys.org Network World.
Industry Impact
Developed by researchers at the University of Southampton and Microsoft’s spin-off Lumenisity, this fibre promises cheaper, greener, and more reliable telecom networks. It could reduce the need for signal boosters, lower infrastructure costs, and enable 5G, AI, and quantum communication all to flourish Phys.org HotHardware Laser Focus World.
Quantum network engineer Rod Van Meter from Keio University remarked, “If the new fiber can be manufactured and installed easily and proves to be durable, the result might be a faster, better classical Internet.” Nature
What’s Next?
With further innovation and scaling, experts believe the loss could drop even further—possibly down to 0.01 dB/km—paving the way for ultra-efficient undersea cables and nationwide fiber rollouts Phys.org. As Communications Today notes, this could herald a new era in long-distance communications Communications Today.
References:
- Nature Photonics report: Nature
- Scientific American summary: Scientific American
- Phys.org on speed and loss: Phys.org
- Cosmos magazine commentary: Cosmos
- Microsoft’s Network World analysis: Network World
