Space fibres touch down for in-depth analysis

The University of Adelaide has received five spools of ZBLAN optical fibres from industry partner Flawless Photonics. The next-generation space fibres were produced in microgravity on board the International Space Station (ISS).

In-depth analysis of the fibres can now be undertaken which will assess their performance and the impact the fibres will have on quantum communication.

The glass rods of ZBLAN, an exotic glass for ultra-low loss optical fibre, from which the fibre was drawn on board ISS were supplied by the ANFF-Optofab team at the University of Adelaide.

Australian Research Council, Industry Laureate Fellow, Professor Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem, Deputy Director of the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) and Director of the ANFF-Optofab Adelaide Hub, and her team will now analyse the new fibres at IPAS. 

“Known for its ultra-low loss properties, ZBLAN is ideal for high-bandwidth, long-distance telecommunication applications,” said Professor Ebendorff-Heidepriem.

The backbone of the internet is expected to remain cable-based and ZBLAN fibre is a promising candidate to meet the increasing global demand for data.

ZBLAN glass is being explored as a promising alternative to current silica-based telecommunication cables, with the potential for faster data transfer and higher-capacity internet connections.

“For a ZBLAN fibre to deliver on its potential of being the most transparent material that can be manufactured, two obstacles must be overcome,” said Professor Ebendorff-Heidepriem.

“First, gravity causes the ZBLAN to crystallise during the fibre drawing process, and second, the purity of the glass must be enhanced by a factor of 1000 for it to fulfil its maximum potential.”

Flawless Photonics engineered a compact fibre-drawing device specifically for use in space, which were launched aboard a SpaceX resupply mission in January. The fibres were drawn on board the ISS in March.

“Microgravity provides a unique opportunity to eliminate the crystallisation challenge that we face on Earth,” said Professor Ebendorff-Heidepriem.

Upon reaching the ISS, NASA Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli successfully installed and operated the fibre-drawing module transforming ZBLAN glass rods into fibres.

This effort resulted in the first historic milestone of this collaboration, the creation of over 11 kilometres of ZBLAN optical fibre, setting a world record for space-based optical fibre production.

After initial inspection by Flawless Photonics, hundreds of metres of space fibres were sent to Adelaide for a thorough examination by Professor Ebendorff-Heidepriem and her team. Other research groups globally are analysing the fibres in parallel.

“We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and expertise of our partners at the University of Adelaide,” said Rob Loughan, CEO of Flawless Photonics.

“Seven of the draws went beyond 700 meters, showcasing that it is possible to produce commercial lengths of fibre in space. The longest draw went above 1141 meters, setting a record for the longest fibre manufactured in space.”

“We're excited to see the initial results of our collaboration and look forward to the University’s analysis.” This project underscores the transformative potential of academic-industry partnerships.

The combined expertise of Flawless Photonics in space-based manufacturing and the University of Adelaide’s glass science and fibre fabrication research facilities is driving significant progress in telecommunications technology.

“Our next step involves a detailed analysis of these space-manufactured fibres. By comparing them with fibres drawn on Earth, we hope to deepen our understanding of how microgravity influences their properties,” said Professor Ebendorff-Heidepriem.

The results of the analysis will be crucial for optimising the space-based manufacturing process, as the University and Flawless Photonics work to unlock the full potential of ZBLAN fibres. The results of the analysis will be presented by Professor Ebendorff-Heidepriem at The Australian and New Zealand Conference on Optics and Photonics in Melbourne in December.