TUE blasts 5.7 Tb/s beam through air

Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology have wirelessly transmitted data over 4.6 kilometers at 5.7 terabits per second, a record for this type of transmission in an urban setting. The connection was established between the TUE campus in Eindhoven and the nearby High Tech Campus (HTC) using antennas from Aircision, a spinoff from research institute TNO that develops products for ultra-high capacity optical wireless systems. The company is located at the HTC.

Aircision’s antennas transmit data through infrared beams in a technique known as free-space optical (FSO) communication. “Infrared wireless communication combines the high data speeds known from optical fibers with the flexibility of wireless communication systems. By complementing existing wireless and fiber-optic technologies, we can build the densely interconnected networks required to bring high-speed data connectivity to every corner of the planet,” says TUE researcher Vincent van Vliet.

The key to the high bandwidth was combining multiple wavelengths in a single transmission, a method commonly used in fiber-optic communication as well. “Because the transmitted infrared light is highly focused, an almost unlimited number of communication links can exist side-by-side without interference, allowing wireless network capacity growth at an unprecedented scale,” Van Vliet explains.

Aircision is already looking into real-world applications of the technology, such as wirelessly connecting new 5G/6G antennas for backhauling the existing network to bring high-speed internet access to areas where laying fiber is impractical or too costly.