Fiber Optic Standards Shift to Preform Core in AI Era

Introduction

The rapid advancement of AI computing demands unprecedented data transmission speeds and bandwidth, pushing fiber optic infrastructure to its limits. As the industry races to meet these requirements, the traditional focus on cable and connector standards is shifting upstream to the preform core—the very heart of optical fiber manufacturing. This change reflects a deeper realization that core-level innovations, such as multi-core structures and ultra-low loss processes, hold the key to next-generation performance.

For Chinese enterprises, understanding this paradigm shift is critical. The battle for international standards is no longer about final product specifications but about controlling the fundamental building blocks of fiber optics. This guide explores why the preform core has become the new battleground and how Chinese companies can strategically position themselves.

The Shift to Preform Core

In the AI computing era, data centers require fibers capable of handling massive parallel data flows with minimal attenuation. Multi-core fibers, which integrate multiple light-guiding cores within a single cladding, offer a direct path to scaling capacity without increasing cable diameter. Similarly, ultra-low loss processes reduce signal degradation over long distances, enabling efficient connectivity between distributed AI clusters.

Standardization bodies like the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) are now prioritizing these core-level parameters. The reason is simple: once a preform design is locked into a manufacturing process, it dictates the fiber's performance for its entire lifecycle. Thus, companies that hold key patents on multi-core geometries or low-loss dopants can influence the standards from the very beginning.

Key Patents and Standards

Critical patent families cover innovations such as trench-assisted multi-core designs, which reduce crosstalk between cores, and fluorine-doped cladding techniques that achieve record-low attenuation. These patents are being incorporated into emerging standards like ITU-T G.654 for submarine cables and G.657 for bend-insensitive fibers, but now with new annexes for AI-specific applications.

Standards also increasingly define measurement methods for core-to-core uniformity and splice losses in multi-core fibers. Companies that contribute test methodologies and performance thresholds can shape the acceptance criteria, effectively creating barriers for competitors. Therefore, participation in standards development organizations (SDOs) is not optional but essential for any player aiming to lead.

Strategic Recommendations for Chinese Companies

First, Chinese enterprises should invest in foundational R&D for preform core architectures, especially heterogeneous multi-core designs that can carry different wavelengths or modulation formats. Filing patents early in multiple jurisdictions—including the United States, Europe, and Japan—will create a strong defensive portfolio. Second, active engagement in SDOs such as the ITU-T Study Group 15 and IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) working groups is crucial. Companies should send technical experts to contribute to draft standards and propose test procedures that leverage their patented technologies.

Third, forming consortia with domestic and international partners can pool resources for pilot production lines that demonstrate manufacturability at scale. Joint ventures with equipment makers for preform deposition systems, like plasma chemical vapor deposition (PCVD) or outside vapor deposition (OVD), can ensure process control. Fourth, Chinese firms should push for inclusion of their preform metrics in Chinese national standards (GB/T) and then seek equivalence with international standards, creating a de facto global benchmark.

Conclusion

The AI computing revolution is redefining priorities in optical fiber standards, placing the preform core at the center of competition. By mastering multi-core structures and ultra-low loss processes, and by strategically engaging in international standardization, Chinese companies can secure a commanding position. The window of opportunity is narrow—those who act now to patent, standardize, and scale their preform innovations will define the fiber infrastructure of the AI era.