VUB scientist speeds up internet by slowing down light frequencies

An international team of researchers, including scientists from the Free University of Brussels (VUB), have found a way to slow down the light that’s used to send data in optic communication networks such as the internet. Paradoxically, this makes communication networks work faster.

Lower light speeds mean the traffic of data can be regulated better, which helps to send data more smoothly and thus faster.

Current techniques only allow the light of very specific colours to be slowed, while the other colours around continue to travel at their normal speed. VUB researcher Vincent Ginis has now developed a method, with international colleagues, to slow down a large quantity of light frequencies at the same time.

The new technique creates the illusion that the distance that needs to be covered is a lot larger than the actual physical distance. This way, the light can be slowed down to speeds that can be determined by scientists.

The breakthrough could also reduce the energy use of the most energy-consuming components in optic communication networks, like Wi-Fi routers. The efficiency of such components increases when light passes the circuits at a lower speed.

“The speed of light has been used decades, so it’s about time we also used its slowness,” Ginis told DataNews. The study’s conclusions are published in Applied Physics Letters.

Photo: Ingimage