AttoTude and Point2 Technology are two exciting startups leading the way into a new paradigm for data transmission. They are doing impressive work to improve the efficiency of data centers. Their breakthrough technologies employ novel radio frequency (RF) and terahertz transmission techniques. The goal is to provide an alternative to the limitations of legacy copper cables. This article highlights how these companies hope to change the way data is sent across miles of fiber. It further looks at potential impacts this might have on the industry.
AttoTude, under the leadership of CEO Dave Welch, has focused on high-frequency (one gigaHertz and above) transmission. Their research focuses on the terahertz regime, in particular, 300 to 3,000 GHz range. The company has successfully created lots of individual components. These consist of a digital data chip and a terahertz-signal generator, plus a special circuit for mixing the two components. These improvements put AttoTude on the leading edge of the next generation of data transmission technology.
Point2 Technology, another newcomer in this space, has been developing RF technology purpose-built for data centers. To accomplish this, their approach uses millimeter-wave frequencies such as 90 GHz and 225 GHz. This new technology has enabled Point2’s proprietary e-Tube cable, an ultra-light cable containing eight flat polymer waveguides elegantly bundled together. Each waveguide can carry an astounding 448 gigabits per second. Such diversity demonstrates the amazing possibilities for high-speed data transmission that exist without the limitations of copper cables.
Advancements in Terahertz Technology
AttoTude’s latest award-winning innovations are a testament to their dedication to advancing the forefront of data transmission. The company’s technology has a digital component that connects directly to the graphics processing unit (GPU). It houses a terahertz-frequency generator and a mixer that modulates data onto the terahertz input signal.
The technology makes use of the skin effect in copper cables. By virtue of this phenomenon, nearly all of the current passes through the wire’s outer layer. At 60 hertz, this skin depth effect restricts the flow of current in each cable to the outer 8 millimeters of the cable. At 10 GHz, the depth is only 0.65 micrometers. This limitation has inspired AttoTude to pursue exciting new directions with their waveguide technology.
Welch expressed his vision for AttoTude’s waveguide technology, stating, “If I didn’t have to be at [an optical wavelength], where should I be?” This question goes straight to the crux of how innovative the company is being. They are ingeniously designed beyond traditional optics in order to support much longer transmission distances.
Last April, AttoTude captively demonstrated four-meter terahertz transmission at a world-first carrier frequency of 970 GHz. This incredible display of showmanship was during the second half of the Optical Fiber Communications Conference. Welch is betting on what he terms a game-changing advancement in data transmission. Their waveguide is, in principle, scalable to 20 meters and beyond, greatly exceeding the reach of conventional copper solutions.
Point2 Technology’s Innovative Approach
Point2 Technology has developed RF technology that has met or exceeded best-in-class standards for data centers. Furthermore, their e-Tube cables use millimeter-wave frequencies, allowing them to optimize data transfer rates and overall product footprint. Point2’s solution has a compact design, using only half the space of a typical 32-gauge copper cable. Surprisingly, it delivers up to 20x more reach!
Point2’s cables are designed with eight polymer waveguides that allow for massive amounts of data to be carried seamlessly at the speed of light. This capability presents a compelling option for data centers to easily scale their bandwidth while avoiding unnecessary infrastructure expenses.
Don Barnetson is senior vice president and head of product at Credo. To that means, he called for moving beyond reactive copper options. He remarked, “You start with passive copper, and you do everything you can to run in passive copper as long as you can.” High performance computing This sentiment is emblematic of a larger industry trend moving in the direction of more efficient alternatives as data needs only increase every day.
Like AttoTude, Point2 aims to make the copper legacy notably less efficient with their technology that extends both reach and efficiency. They argue that their systems can very easily get up to spans of 10 to 20 meters without any significant loss of signal degradation.
The Future of Data Transmission
These two advancements from AttoTude and Point2 create a very exciting look into the future of data transmission technologies. Each day, more organizations are waking up to the constraints of legacy copper cabling. These pioneering solutions can result in far more robust and effective data center operations.
Welch points out that though customers love fiber technology, they frequently find themselves overwhelmed by its complexity. He stated, “Customers love fiber. But what they hate is the photonics.” This acknowledgment reveals a critical challenge in transitioning to newer technologies: simplifying user experience while maintaining high performance.
Welch emphasized the default robustness of electronic systems over opto alternatives. “Electronics have been demonstrated to be inherently more reliable than optics,” he explained. This reliability might be very important to the businesses that demand no downtime and consistent behavior.
