A Quick Timeline of Fiber Optic Technologies | V1 Fiber

A Quick Timeline of Fiber Optic Technologies

Did you know that fiber optic technologies began in the 1800s? We can thank Alexander Graham Bell and his invention of the Photophone, which used light to transmit sound. As for modern fiber optics, they also have a rich and complex history. This short guide explores how fiber optics have developed over the past 60 years.

The 1960s: Laying the Groundwork

The 1960s ushered in several essential innovations in fiber optic technology. While working at American Optical in 1961, physicist Elias Snitzer developed the first optical fiber laser and fiber amplifier. Snitzer also published his single-mode fiber theory during the same year. His work involved channeling laser light through thin glass fibers, initially used in medical technologies.

Snitzer’s work would set the stage for the next development in fiber optic communications. While working at Standard Telecommunications Laboratories in 1964, physicist Sir Charles Kao and engineer George Hockham proposed that ultra-pure glass could transmit light and minimize signal loss. The late Dr. Kao discovered that a single-mode dielectric glass optical fiber waveguide could allow such signals to move successfully. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in 2009.

The 1970s: Rapid Development and Growth

Corning Glass Works pushed fiber optic communications forward in 1970. That summer, a research team started working with fused silica. Notable benefits of this material include unmatched purity, a low refractive index, and a high melting point. Team members Donald Keck, Robert Maurer, and Peter Schultz discovered these advantages made fused silica an excellent choice: They designed a fiber optic wire capable of transmitting up to 65,000 times more data than traditional copper wiring. By 1972, the team had created a multimode fiber with germanium doped into its matrix. This innovation significantly reduced signal loss.

By the mid-1970s, commercial deployment of fiber optics began in earnest. General Telephone and Electronics deployed the first fiber optic telephone system in April 1977. After GTE debuted its system in Long Beach, Bell followed suit in May by installing a fiber optic system in Chicago.

The 1980s: Full Speed Ahead

Once GTE and Bell debuted their fiber optic systems, the technology expanded in many other U.S. cities. During the early 1980s, fiber telephony networks rapidly infiltrated many major metro areas. They slowly replaced copper, satellite, and microwave transmission methods. Fiber also became preferred for long-distance transmissions after French researcher Emmanuel Desurvire created an erbium-doped amplifier in 1986. His invention reduced the cost of long-distance fiber lines. The first trans-Atlantic fiber telephone connection went live in 1988.

The 1990s: Fiber Optics and the Internet

With the development of the internet came the need for faster, more reliable data transmission methods. Fiber optic technologies were a natural fit. During this decade, fiber optic lines began carrying more long-distance traffic. The first fully fiber optic cross-continental cable debuted in 1996. Known as the Fiberoptic Link Around the Globe, this submarine communications cable runs under the Pacific Ocean and connects countries like Japan, India, Thailand, South Korea, and China. FLAG also links the Middle East, Europe, and North America.

During the late 1990s, home users began to benefit from high-speed internet. Cable companies started offering telephone and internet through their fiber networks. As more households gained this access, online shopping, entertainment, and education options rapidly expanded. These developments fueled the demand that led to more expansion in fiber optic communication technology.

The 2000s to the Present

Fiber optic innovations did not slow down, even with the dot-com crash in 2000. By this time, fiber lines had replaced nearly all the copper cables in the United States. Web 2.0 and the Internet of Things continue to fuel the demand for better speed, reliability, and security. Fiber optics deliver these and other benefits, transmitting data through light signals at speeds up to 128,535 miles per second. Fiber internet with capacities ranging from 1 Gbps to 6 Gbps is available in many cities. Businesses can get fiber internet service with upload and download speeds of up to 100 Gbps.

With all these essential benefits, fiber optic communication is an innovative, secure, and sensible solution for your organization. V1 Fiber offers an extensive menu of engineering, construction, repair, and maintenance services. We invite you to put our over 70 years of expertise, attention to detail, and dedication to quality to work for you. Get a quote online or call us at (844) 813-4237.

https://www.optica.org/en-us/history/biographies/bios/elias_snitzer/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Kao

https://www.thefoa.org/tech/ref/basic/basics.html

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/481241

https://meroli.web.cern.ch/lecture_communication_evolution.html