A group of Korean scientists recently announced that they have developed a new PCB (Printed Circuit Board) which uses fiber optics and can significantly increase a computer's data transmission speed. The new PCB, designed by Park Hyo-Hoon of the Information and Communications University in Daejeon and Lee Yong-Tak of the Institute of Science and Technology in Gwangju, uses both optical fiber wires and traditional copper wires. Data which needs high-speed transmission is sent through the optical fiber wires and slow-speed data goes through the copper wires.

 

On currently available PCB data transmission is hampered by bottlenecks in certain parts of the circuit, which do not occur on the new PCB because of the use of optical fiber wires. With the new PCB it takes only one second to transmit a one-hour high-definition video-clip, whereas the existing ones take ten seconds. The team members said the new PCB will be ready for commercial use in 2010 when production costs will have come down to an acceptable level.