Australian photonics breakthrough promises faster Internet

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 09 July 2008 13:07

Business IT - Technology

Eggleton told iTWire: "In the last few years we have started to get to the limit of electronic switching. What we have demonstrated is well beyond what is possible in electronics. It is a heroic result and demonstrates that these sorts of speeds are viable in next generation networks."

He estimated that it would likely take another five years of research and considerably funding to develop the technology into a commercial product. "There are a number of significant challenges of device integration, packaging and reliability, but the market is not yet ready." He added that this would require support from both major equipment manufacturers and government.

Eggleton, a graduate of the University of Sydney is a former technical manager of the Optical Fibre Grating group at Bell Labs and former research director of the Specialty Fibre Business Division of Bell Lab's parent company, Lucent Technologies (now part of Alcatel-Lucent).

He has co-authored more than 200 journal papers, presented more than 60 invited and plenary presentations at international conferences, and has filed 35 patents. In2004 he was awarded the Australian government Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year "For pioneering research in photonics, for his leadership in optical physics - connecting science and industry - and for the invention, and development of optical devices that will change our lives in the decades to come."