Researchers at the Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton are advancing a groundbreaking solution to a common challenge in modern communication systems: efficiently delivering power and data to…
Researchers at the Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton are advancing a groundbreaking solution to a common challenge in modern communication systems: efficiently delivering power and data to remote or hard-to-reach locations. Their innovative research on power-over-fibre explores how high-powered laser light, transmitted through optical fibres, can deliver electrical energy while also carrying communication signals, without compromising either function.
The core idea is elegantly simple yet technically complex: send a powerful laser beam down an optical fibre to deliver energy, and then use photovoltaic cells at the receiving end to convert that beam back into usable electricity. Unlike conventional copper power cables, optical fibres are lighter, thinner, and immune to electromagnetic interference, making them ideal for applications where weight, size, or environmental conditions pose constraints.
What sets this research apart is the simultaneous transmission of both power and data through the same fibre using innovative hollow-core fibre technology. These fibres allow the high-power laser beam (used for energy delivery) and the much weaker data signals to co-exist without degrading the performance of either. The hollow core structure minimises interaction between the two streams and offers significantly lower propagation loss, especially at the power-transmitting wavelengths, enabling much longer-distance transmission compared to traditional solid-core fibres.
This technology opens new possibilities for building more resilient communication networks. For critical infrastructure, power-over-fibre ensures that data signals can still be delivered even if power is lost at the receiving site. In emergency response systems or remote installations, where access to consistent power can’t be guaranteed, this technology could provide a vital link.
Moreover, in environments where reducing cable weight and volume is crucial, such as aerospace, subsea installations, or smart cities, power-over-fibre offers a highly efficient alternative to traditional power supply methods.
This pioneering work has led to multiple high-profile publications:
A 2024 paper in Laser & Photonics Reviews demonstrated the feasibility of transmitting power and analogue radio signals through single-mode, multicore, and hollow-core fibres.
At ECOC 2024, the team presented successful power and data transmission over 1.21 km of Nested Antiresonant Nodeless Fibre (NANF).
A forthcoming presentation at OFC 2025 will share results from an even longer 3.1 km demonstration over C/L-band using NANF technology.
These milestones validate the viability of power-over-fibre across increasing distances, showcasing the potential for real-world deployment.
The research team is actively collaborating with BT to define use cases in passive optical networks (PONs). The project receives funding from both the TITAN initiative and the UK government’s DSIT-funded REASON project. Moving forward, the team plans to scale the technology’s Technology Readiness Level (TRL), bringing it closer to commercial and operational deployment.
“The new types of optical fibres that we develop at Southampton allow us to consider applications that would be otherwise simply not possible,” says the research team. “These experiments have shown how we can tailor the guidance characteristics of hollow-core fibres to add new functionality to the communication cable.”
This work is more than a technical advancement—it represents a shift in how we think about powering and connecting the world, one fibre at a time.
The research is a part of TITAN Lighthouse Project 4: Fibre Enabled Connectivity Integration. Lighthouse Project 4 (LP4) aims to enhance ultra-fast, reliable, and high-capacity data transmission.
TITAN is part of the Federated Telecoms Hubs (FTH) alongside CHEDDAR, HASC, and JOINER. Together, we conduct world-leading R&D and create a new knowledge-sharing framework, roadmap technology, develop skills, and engage with standards while instilling a commercialisation-focused mindset across academia.
If you have any questions about the research discussed in this article, please contact titan-enquiries@eng.cam.ac.uk
