A group of researchers from Australia, China and Denmark believe that a new technique used to demultiplex optical signals could allow for the transmission of terabit Ethernet speeds in the future. At the moment, the technology exists to inject multiple 10Gps data streams into optical cables. However, higher data transmission speeds are stymied by the inability of current techniques to recombine those separate data streams at the end of the link fast enough.

By using chalcogenide glass chips with switching speeds measured in femto seconds though, researchers found that they were able to create compact waveguides in order to demultiplex streams of 10Gbps optical signals. They believe this technique will make it possible to demultiplex up to a hundred 10Gbps data streams, or terabit Ethernet speeds.

Of course, commercial fiber optic speeds of a terabit could still be many years away.

For more on this story:
- check out this article from The Register

Related Articles:
Ethernet news from FierceCIO