Technologies for spatial-division multiplexing: The next frontier in optical communications
Research Project, 2015 – 2018

Optical fiber communication systems constitute the backbone of Internet. In this project, we propose to analyze and demonstrate concepts to reach substantially higher transmission throughput than in todays optical communication systems. This is essential, as the currently used technology approach, using single-mode optical fibers, is expected to be exhausted within the next decade, due to fundamental capacity limits of a single transmission channel. We will leverage our expertise in optical transmission experiments as well as in information theory, coding and digital signal processing to investigate, both theoretically and experimentally, concepts relying on spatial-division multiplexing (SDM). This has emerged as the most viable approach to significantly increase capacity by encoding data in several cores and/or modes of a single fiber. Specifically, we will establish a physical understanding of coupling among modes/cores in optical fibers supporting several modes or cores. This knowledge will serve as a basis in order and design novel modulation formats and coding schemes taking advantage of this new spatial dimension. We will further design and implement a spatial ? frequency superchannel that allows important scaling advantages as well as being compatible with monolithic integration for cost and energy efficiency. We will bring this together in transmission systems experiments using SDM hardware to reach unprecedented transmission performance.

Participants

Peter Andrekson (contact)

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Photonics

Erik Agrell

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Communication, Antennas and Optical Networks

Arni Alfredsson

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Communication, Antennas and Optical Networks

Magnus Karlsson

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Photonics

Victor Torres Company

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Photonics

Funding

Swedish Research Council (VR)

Project ID: 2014-6138
Funding Chalmers participation during 2015–2018

Related Areas of Advance and Infrastructure

Information and Communication Technology

Areas of Advance

Sustainable development

Driving Forces

Publications

More information

Project Web Page at Chalmers

http://www.chalmers.se/sv/projekt/Sidor/Te...

Latest update

2018-03-29