Hollow core fiber’s name offers a clue as to how it differs from regular fiber. Rather than featuring a glass core, it has a hollow space in the middle through which light is transmitted.

This technology isn’t new, having been around for more than 20 years, while the theory behind it can trace its roots back to the 19th century.

In 1897, English physicist Lord Rayleigh studied the transmission of electromagnetic waves in hollow dielectric structures. Although this wasn’t HCF as such, the concept paved the way for the cables being used by digital infrastructure providers today.