Broadband in Space

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a tiny light detector that could one day permit broadband in space. The new light has the same wave length as the commonly used broadband optical cable. Right now many spacecrafts are using radio signals which can take hours to transmit data but with an optical link they would be able to transfer data thousands of times faster.

While lasers and radio transmissions both travel at light speed, lasers can pack more data and it would be able to receive weaker signals from smaller laser so that it does not use much power. Even though the new detector is sensitive enough to detect Photons they add an anti-reflective coating that helps prevent light from bouncing off the device and escaping.

There is also a photon trap which increases the ability to detect the photons and absorb them but if the photon is not absorbed then it will bounce back and forth between the wires and a mirror increasing the change of absorption.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a tiny light detector that could one day permit broadband in space. The new light has the same wave length as the commonly used broadband optical cable. Right now many spacecrafts are using radio signals which can take hours to transmit data but with an optical link they would be able to transfer data thousands of times faster.

While lasers and radio transmissions both travel at light speed, lasers can pack more data and it would be able to receive weaker signals from smaller laser so that it does not use much power. Even though the new detector is sensitive enough to detect Photons they add an anti-reflective coating that helps prevent light from bouncing off the device and escaping.

There is also a photon trap which increases the ability to detect the photons and absorb them but if the photon is not absorbed then it will bounce back and forth between the wires and a mirror increasing the change of absorption.