Ultra-Broadband Photonic Signal-Processor

The core objective of the Follow-Up-Project is still the design and realization of a multifunctional Ultra-Broadband-Photonic Signal Processor (UB-PSP), enabling Wavelength Conversion, Optical Phase Conjugation, and Switching of optical channels. Due to the unexpected high values of linear Crosstalk (XT) of the processor samples produced to date, extensive investigations of potential reasons have been carried out. Thus, some of the final tasks of the first project phase got delayed. We will include perturbations by processor-induced linear XT as a parameter for the delayed tasks that we plan to carry out in an upgraded manner in the proposed 2nd project phase. The UB-PSP will be integrated with a conventional coherent optical transmitter/receiver on a single electronic/photonic integrated circuit (EPIC). Thus, a multifunctional optical transmitter/receiver is realized enabling groundbreaking flexibility and the required integration density for future Space-Division-Multiplex- (SDM-) networks. The numerical simulation methods for optical transmission systems with multiple OPC stages over Standard-Single-Mode-Fibers will be applied to find optimized link design rules for optimum performance and capacity. Here, novel methods of machine learning will be employed to identify optimum arrangements of the components and optimum parameter values, for realistic boundary conditions of amplifiers and fibers.A comprehensive numerical simulation tool will be developed to investigate the potential of OPC in communication systems over Few-Mode-Fibers. Thus, new concepts for an effective nonlinear equalization of Space-Division-Multiplexed systems shall be investigated.The numerical methods developed and used for parameter- and design-optimization of the nonlinear waveguide will be extended by concepts of machine-learning to identify optimum waveguide design specifications that are beyond realizability for state-of-the-art processes, but might show superior performance, as an outlookinto future research projects in the field.