In the era of explosive AI growth and surging demand for high-speed data transmission, traditional solid-core optical fibers—long the backbone of global communications—are increasingly hitting performance ceilings. Their inherent limitations, such as signal attenuation from material absorption, nonlinear optical effects that distort high-power signals, and restricted bandwidth for emerging mid-infrared and terahertz applications, have created an urgent need for innovative solutions. Enter hollow-core fiber (HCF), a breakthrough technology that swaps the solid glass core of conventional fibers for a hollow channel, revolutionizing how light is transmitted and unlocking new possibilities for industries ranging from AI computing to precision medicine.
Technological Breakthroughs: How Hollow-Core Fiber Redefines Light Transmission
Unlike traditional fibers, which rely on the refractive index difference between a silica glass core and cladding to trap light, hollow-core fiber uses advanced structural design—such as photonic crystal cladding or Bragg reflection layers—to create an “optical cage.” This cage confines light to travel through the hollow central channel (filled with air or inert gas) rather than the glass itself, eliminating most interactions between light and the fiber’s material. The result is a suite of transformative advantages:
Ultra-low loss and latency: By reducing light absorption in glass, HCF achieves attenuation levels as low as 0.05 dB/km—surpassing the 0.15 dB/km benchmark of premium single-mode solid-core fibers. In real-world applications, this translates to shorter signal delay: China Mobile’s July 2025 commercial anti-resonant HCF line in Guangdong, which serves 深港 (Shenzhen-Hong Kong) cross-border financial transactions, cut transmission latency by 31% compared to traditional fibers, critical for high-frequency trading and real-time AI data exchange.
Minimized nonlinear effects: The hollow channel reduces light-material interaction by up to 1,000 times, making HCF ideal for high-power laser transmission and dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM)—a key technology for AI data centers that need to send hundreds of data streams simultaneously. This advantage has made HCF a cornerstone of NVIDIA’s August 2025 “Scale-Across” architecture, which integrates multiple data centers into a gigawatt-level AI super factory; NVIDIA reports that HCF-enabled DWDM systems boost data throughput by 47% versus solid-core fibers.
Broad spectral compatibility: Unlike silica fibers, which absorb light in mid-infrared and terahertz bands, HCF’s hollow core is “transparent” across these ranges. This opens new use cases, from industrial spectroscopy (for real-time chemical analysis) to medical imaging (using terahertz waves to detect early-stage tumors) and even quantum communication (where mid-infrared light is less susceptible to interference).
Market Momentum: Global Giants and Chinese Innovators Race for Leadership
The HCF market is rapidly expanding, driven by AI’s insatiable demand for faster, more reliable connectivity. CRU data shows that AI-related optical cable consumption grew 138% in 2024, and HCF—once a lab curiosity—is now moving into large-scale commercialization. The competitive landscape is dominated by three tiers of players, with China emerging as a key contender:
First tier (80% market share): Led by U.S.-based Corning, which made history in 2024 by delivering 15,000 kilometers of HCF to Microsoft (the largest HCF order to date) and mastering low-loss coating technologies. Denmark’s NKT Photonics follows, specializing in photonic crystal HCF for high-power lasers and holding 20% of the global market. China’s Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable (YOFC) joins this elite group after winning China Mobile’s 200-kilometer HCF contract in late 2024—it is the only Chinese firm with end-to-end production capabilities (from preforms to connectors), breaking Western dominance in core manufacturing.
Second tier (15% market share): Includes Microsoft-acquired Lumenisity (UK), which focuses on hollow-core Bragg fibers for data centers, and France’s iXblue, a leader in HCF for sensing applications. These firms excel in niche markets but lack the scale for mass commercialization.
Emerging players: Chinese giants like FiberHome, Hengtong, and Zhongtian are in the sample verification phase, with plans to launch commercial HCF products by 2026. Their progress is supported by China’s “14th Five-Year Plan” for new materials, which designates HCF as a “strategic emerging technology” and provides subsidies for R&D.
Industry Chain: From Raw Materials to Real-World Applications
HCF’s success relies on a robust upstream-to-downstream ecosystem, where Chinese companies are gaining ground in critical links:
Upstream (materials & equipment): High-purity synthetic silica glass—used to make HCF cladding—is a bottleneck, but China’s Quartz Corporation now produces silica with impurity levels below 1 part per billion (ppb), matching Corning’s quality. Equipment dependency is also easing: Shenzhen-based Inno Laser has developed ultra-precision laser machines for HCF preform drilling, replacing imported models and cutting production costs by 25% for YOFC and Hengtong.
Midstream (manufacturing): YOFC’s breakthrough lies in “anti-resonant tube drawing”—a process that creates uniform hollow channels in HCF—allowing it to produce 10,000 kilometers of HCF annually. The company’s HCF has passed tests by Huawei and ZTE, ensuring compatibility with existing 5G and AI infrastructure.
Downstream (applications): Beyond AI and finance, HCF is expanding into renewable energy (e.g., transmitting high-power lasers for solar panel manufacturing) and aerospace (lightweight HCF for satellite communications). In 2025, China’s National Space Administration announced plans to test HCF on its next space station module, as its low weight and radiation resistance make it ideal for space-based AI sensors.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
While HCF’s potential is clear, hurdles remain. Mass production costs are still 30% higher than solid-core fibers, though economies of scale—driven by orders from Microsoft, NVIDIA, and China Mobile—are expected to narrow this gap by 2027. Technical challenges, such as improving HCF’s mechanical strength (hollow cores are more fragile than solid ones) and reducing connector loss, are also being addressed: YOFC’s new “airtight connector” design cuts connection-related attenuation by 50%, making HCF easier to integrate into existing networks.
Looking forward, HCF is not just a better fiber—it is a foundational technology for the AI-driven “smart world.” As data centers grow into “AI super factories,” and 6G networks demand terabit-level speeds, HCF will be the invisible backbone connecting them. For China, YOFC’s success signals a shift from “fiber manufacturing giant” to “technology innovator,” positioning the country to lead the next era of optical communication.