Scientists Achieve 424Gbit/s Data Speed in Space Transmission

Researchers at ETH Zurich have accomplished a significant leap in high-speed data transmission, as high as 424Gbit/s across a 53-km turbulent free-space optical link, using plasmonic modulators. Plasmonic modulators have emerged as ideal candidates for space communication links because of their compactness and ability to operate in a wide temperature range with low energy consumption. Researchers say that by using plasmonic modulators with coherent free-space optical communication, speed can even reach 1.4 Tbit/s.