Glass used to form light conductors is continuously optimized to reduce scattering losses, chromatic dispersion, polarization mode dispersion and microbend attenuation. The current generation of fiber optic cables has an attenuation of only 0.15 dB/km at 1550 m.

The proliferation of campus and metro data centers is an emerging trend. Ultra-high-capacity optical communication links of up to 100 kilometers are essential for the network to function as a large system. Increasing the capacity of cost-effective optical links has become a requirement to support exponential growth in network traffic.

One solution is to use multicore fibers. Multicore fibers allow simultaneous transmission of different signals along different cores within the same cladding diameter, thereby increasing the data transmission density on a single fiber.

Advanced, very high fiber optic density cables are also entering the market to support growing traffic. Furukawa recently installed 6,912 fiber optic cables within a 1.25-inch diameter conduit between two North American data center campuses. The outer diameter of the optical cable is only 35mm.

Hollow core fibers are another interesting variant. Instead of passing through glass or plastic, light travels in a central core of air. Improvements in manufacturing have reduced loss and delay characteristics, making hollow-core fibers attractive in applications that require the transmission of light or data with extremely short pulses or minimal delay.