Blog

In the rapidly evolving field of silicon photonics, understanding your specific manufacturing and research needs is crucial for developing effective solutions. At AusOptic, we collaborate closely with EXFO Manufacturing, Design, and Research (MDR) Solutions and Engineering to tailor our services to your unique requirements. To ensure we meet your goals, we begin with a series of key questions that help us define the best approach for your project.

Silicon photonics is gaining prominence, integrating optics and electronic engineering to develop novel high-speed data processing capabilities and now a growing range of practical applications, including artificial intelligence data centres, quantum computers, and diagnostic tools for medical purposes.

Today we’re exploring fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) and optical filters with Marc-André Laliberté, Product Line Manager at TeraXion. With decades of experience in optical communications, TeraXion is a leading player in designing and manufacturing components that enhance fibre optic systems across diverse applications. This post will go over the fundamental principles, practical applications, and design considerations that render FBG-based optical filters an indispensable technology in the contemporary photonic realm.

In a recent episode of 'Following the Photons', Justine Murphy from Laser Focus World interviewed Andres Chavarria, Senior Data Scientist at Luna OptiSense, exploring the transformative applications of fibre optics as environmental sensors. Initially conceived as a tool for seismic detection, fibre optics has evolved into a multifaceted technology with the potential to revolutionise various industries, including energy, agriculture, aerospace, and marine ecology.

Fibre optic sensing technology, particularly through FBG (Fibre Bragg Grating) sensor systems, has expanded what’s possible for measuring and gathering data in many industries. This post looks at PhotonFirst's cutting-edge ASPIC (Application Specific Photonic Integrated Circuit) technology delivers unparalleled precision across high-tech manufacturing, aviation, aerospace, medical instrumentation, and automotive testing.

The FITEL S185 Series of Fusion Splicers marks a big step forward in specialty fibre splicing tech. These high-end tools handle a broad range of industry jobs, from basic fibres to tricky polarisation-maintaining and large-diameter fibres. In this post, we'll look at the features all models share, what makes each one special, and how different industries put them to work.

Hyperscalers face significant challenges as they strive to meet the escalating demands of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and a data-driven world. This post examines some of the challenges for hyperscalers in 2025 and explores new test and monitoring solutions from EXFO, along with interoperable transceiver alternatives from FLEXOPTIX.

PhotonFirst, headquartered in the dynamic city of Alkmaar, the Netherlands, is a team of approximately 40 professionals dedicated to advancing novel sensing technologies. By leveraging the capabilities of integrated photonics, they are developing compact, high-performance sensing solutions tailored to diverse applications. With a unique combination of research, development, and application-centric expertise, PhotonFirst is pleased to collaborate with AusOptic to introduce their sensing solutions to the Australian market.

In a groundbreaking development that could reshape the future of navigation, scientists at Sandia National Laboratories have created a miniature silicon photonic modulator chip that brings us closer to a “quantum compass.” This innovative technology promises to provide ultra-precise navigation capabilities even in environments where GPS signals are unavailable or compromised.

Recently, during the Revolutionising Optical Transport Networks webinar, Andrea Guglielmi, Business Development Manager at EXFO, provided insightful perspectives on the evolution of IP over DWDM, interoperability challenges, and the shaping of the future of high-speed networking through standardisation efforts.

Why it is better to use DFOS sensors for strain measurements? There’s some confusion in the terminology when "Sensing cables" and "fibre optic sensors" are used interchangeably, leading to misconceptions about their functions and differences. It’s important to choose the right type of fibre sensor for your application, choosing the wrong measurement tools can compromise experiments and limit the success of structure health monitoring in construction projects.

How the Silixa Carina Sensing System is being used for ongoing CO2 storage monitoring in Otway, Australia. This cutting-edge far-offset VSP survey provides high-resolution data for advancing Australia's efforts in deep geological storage of carbon dioxide.

Free Space Optical (FSO) communication has come a long way! Here we look at the revolutionary advancements in FSO technology by OFS and Furukawa Electric, including state-of-the-art fibre solutions like the VLMA Erbium-Doped Fibre Amplifier Module, Raman Fibre Laser Module, and Erbium-Ytterbium Optical Fibre. Stay ahead in the future of high-speed, secure, and efficient data transmission.

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving unprecedented transformation in data center technologies, particularly in high-performance transceivers. As AI workloads grow exponentially, the need for faster, more efficient data transmission has become critical. This blog post explores the latest developments in Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC)-based transceivers and examines Nvidia's cutting-edge server architecture requirements for these components as of 2025.

Discover the Tempo Omni Marker II, an advanced solution for marking and locating underground utilities. Enhance safety, preserve asset integrity. Streamline the process of marking and locating underground utilities including water, gas, telecoms, and electricity.

Being an early adopter of high Ethernet rates (e.g., 800G) and next-gen coherent optic technologies (800ZR/ZR+/LR) comes with unique challenges. It requires innovative tools and techniques to effectively implement these new specifications. In this blog post, we’ll explore insights shared in the September 2024 webinar moderated by David Rodgers, Business Development Manager at EXFO, along with experts from EXFO and Lumentum. They provide an industry overview of these emerging technologies and strategies to overcome the associated challenges.

See how Nerve-Sensors used EpsilonRebar Distributed Fibre Optic Sensing (DFOS) technology to monitor the structural integrity of a major skyscraper project in downtown Warsaw, Poland. The deployment demonstrates how advanced strain and crack monitoring solutions can provide critical structural health information throughout the construction process, particularly in challenging urban environments where building foundations interact with existing infrastructure.

Identifying fronthaul issues like PIM or RF interference is challenging and high RSSI can be difficult to diagnose. See how EXFO’s new iORF offers a quick, cost-effective solution, pinpointing RSSI problems in under 5 minutes.

How the FIP-200 Connector Checker™ simplifies FTTX connector inspection, ensuring reliable, high-speed network activations. One-click operation, simple visual indicators, and pocket-size portability.

To accelerate the commercialization of Multi-Core Fiber (MCF), a strategy is to use the same cladding diameter as conventional 125um single-mode fibers commonly used in optical telecommunication systems. In a recent study, researchers were able to achieve a splice loss of 0.07 dB for a 4-core fiber by using a 2-electrode fusion splicer.