Optical fiber and the future of communication

Dr. Bernd Sartorius of the Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institute for Telecommunications in Berlin will explore the use of the terahertz band for applications in security, medicine, and materials science and the role telecommunications technologies play in its developments. Terahertz radiation, unlike other scanning technologies, can penetrate materials like paper, clothing and plastics and remain harmless to humans. So, terahertz spectra can indicate explosives or analyze complex pharmaceutical substances where today’s technologies, such as X-rays, cannot.

However, terahertz systems are impractical because they require expensive lasers, liquid helium-cooled detectors, and bulky optical benches that make field work unfeasible. Sartorius will examine the state of the art for terahertz instrumentation, stressing especially new ways that telecom technology can make terahertz systems low cost, flexible, and easily transported. Talk OMS3, “Terahertz Transmitters and Receivers” (5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25 in room 6D).

ABOUT OFC/NFOEC

Since 1985, the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC) has provided an annual backdrop for the optical communications field to network and share research and innovations. In 2004, OFC joined forces with the National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (NFOEC), creating the largest and most comprehensive international event for optical communications. By combining an exposition of approximately 600 companies with a unique program of peer-reviewed technical programming and special focused educational sessions, OFC/NFOEC provides an unparalleled opportunity, reaching every audience from service providers to optical equipment manufacturers and beyond.

OFC/NFOEC, www.ofcnfoec.org, is managed by the Optical Society of America (OSA) and co-sponsored by OSA, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers/Communications Society (IEEE/ComSoc) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers/Lasers and Electro-Optics Society (IEEE/LEOS). Acting as non-financial technical co-sponsor is Telcordia Technologies, Inc.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Additional technical news summaries on the fastest field test for video streaming, low-cost silicon-based photodetectors, on-chip microresonators, and optical buffers can be found at http://www.ofcnfoec.org/media_center/ofc_releases/08release5.aspx.