Public interest design firm Point2 recently teamed up with engineers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Jointly, they achieved remarkable feats in data-speed transmission technology highlighted in a recent article to the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits. It’s deploying a groundbreaking new undersea cable system, the so-called e-Tube. It improves data center efficiency and solves the problems presented by legacy copper and optical cables.
The e-Tube Cable only works thanks to 28-nanometer CMOS tech, a process that hasn’t been even remotely state-of-the-art since 2010. Point2 has an exceptionally forward thinking and progressive design that implements the latest sustainable engineering practices. This complex system consists of a digital component to interact with graphics processing units (GPU), a terahertz-frequency generator, and a terahertz mixer to efficiently encode data onto terahertz signals. This disruptive technology seeks to fill the void where the legacy copper based technologies end and today’s optical solutions begin.
The e-Tube Design and Functionality
At the heart of Point2’s e-Tube is an advanced silicon-based chip. This silicon chip converts digital data received from base stations into modulated millimeter-wave frequencies. This chip is wired to a rather large antenna that radiates these frequencies into a cylindrical waveguide. Each cable in an e-Tube houses eight individual fibers, each of which can transmit more than 200 gigabits per second.
Point2 intends to produce chips out of sight of a monstrous 1.6-terabit-per-second cable with eight polymer waveguides, each smaller than a human hair. Each waveguide is designed to support data transmission rates of up to 448 gigabits per second by utilizing two distinct frequencies: 90 gigahertz and 225 gigahertz. This degree of efficiency represents a significant leap forward in data communication power.
The technology can easily outdo copper in reach, spanning distances of 10 to 20 meters without significant loss. – Point2 Representative
Point2’s collaboration designed second-generation cable with outstanding specs, with fibers roughly 200 microns across. This very compact design produces a system with losses under 0.3 dB/m. This performance is an order of magnitude better than standard copper cables, which peak at response rates of just 224 gigabits per second. The e-Tube really shines in terms of performance on longer distances. This opens up new possibilities, especially considering the rapidly expanding field of data transmission.
Advantages Over Traditional Technologies
Point2’s e-Tube cable offers all kinds of benefits compared to traditional copper and optical technology. The innovative design is only half the footprint of a single 32-gauge copper wire. It wins with insane reach, going up to 20 times farther! The rest of the system has dramatically reduced power consumption. It uses one-third the energy of optical systems and is one-third the cost.
Latency is an important consideration where Point2’s technology really shines. It brings the kind of performance improvements as much as one-thousandth of alternative optical solutions. This combination of benefits could prove crucial for data centers striving to optimize their infrastructure amid growing demands for speed and efficiency.
“Customers love fiber. But what they hate is the photonics,” said Dave Welch, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by organizations transitioning from copper to fiber-optic systems.
A New Era for Data Transmission
Point2’s work to democratize access does not stop with technological advancements. They foreshadow a different future for data centers’ connectivity moving forward. Point2 joins our partner AttoTude to support an unusual alternative solution. This bridge between conventional copper communication cables and advanced photonic-based systems offers compelling unique benefits.
In his remarks, Welch emphasized the inherent reliability of electronics over optics. “Electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics.” This declaration emphasizes the reliability benefits Point2’s technology has the potential to provide under real-world operations, which is important.
Armed with $55 million in venture funding, Point2 Inc. is poised to shake up the data center infrastructure space. This funding comes primarily from influential friends and the cable maker Molex. The company’s continued dedication toward making innovative changes in what’s possible with radio technology shows a future-forward commitment that could challenge the status quo.
“If I didn’t have to be at [an optical wavelength], where should I be?” Welch asked rhetorically, suggesting that Point2’s technology could redefine industry standards.