EPSRC-SFI:Energy Efficient M Communication using Combs (EEMC)
Lead Research Organisation:
Aston University
Department Name: College of Engineering and Physical Sci
Abstract
The remarkable success of the internet is unquestioned, touching all aspects of our daily lives and commerce. This success is fundamentally underpinned by the tremendous capacity of unseen underground and undersea optical fibre cables and the technologies associated with them. Indeed, the initial surge in web usage in the mid-1990s coincides with the commissioning of the first optically amplified transatlantic cable network, TAT12/13 allowing ready access to information otherwise inaccessible. In parallel with the consistent exponential increase (quadrupling every 4 years) in broadband access rates, optical transceivers used in the core of the communications network have typically grown in bandwidth at the same rate, excepting a small and temporary downturn associated with the introduction of coherent technologies. Today, just as broadband demands begin to outstrip the capabilities of the incumbent technology (twisted pair copper cables) requiring new technology (optical fibre) to be deployed, bandwidth demands in the core network are exceeding the capabilities of single carrier modulation.
In this project we will develop low cost all optical techniques to continue to expand the bandwidth of the transceivers which power the internet. Our all optical solution has the potential to be compact, suiting applications both within data centres operated by the likes of Google, Facebook and Microsoft and within the core international networks. The solution will address important challenges at such high bandwidths, such as synchronisation, noise and digital signal processing. If successful EEMC2 will deliver a transponder with more than an order of magnitude more capacity than those commercially available, equivalent of a Gb broadband connection rather than 70 Mb.
In this project we will develop low cost all optical techniques to continue to expand the bandwidth of the transceivers which power the internet. Our all optical solution has the potential to be compact, suiting applications both within data centres operated by the likes of Google, Facebook and Microsoft and within the core international networks. The solution will address important challenges at such high bandwidths, such as synchronisation, noise and digital signal processing. If successful EEMC2 will deliver a transponder with more than an order of magnitude more capacity than those commercially available, equivalent of a Gb broadband connection rather than 70 Mb.
Planned Impact
The primary societal impact of EEMC2 will be to enhance the bandwidth of the internet, required to support the roll out of full-fibre based broadband solutions and will consequently have significant economic impact. By working with the UK and Irish industry, solutions developed in EEMC2 will support the development of high bit rate services which enable outstanding service delivery of, for example, low latency high definition video conferencing for domestic use and low latency transoceanic transmission for financial trading. By allowing for the development of a core network of sufficient capacity, EEMC2 will enable the increased effectiveness of initiatives, such as e-medicine and e-public services and will so contribute to the quality of life. Similarly, by preventing an exponential growth in network energy consumption, EEMC2 will contribute to environmental sustainability.
Scientifically, EEMC2 proposes to extend previous collaboration between the communications activities of two of the leading centres of excellence in photonics with the ambition of significantly enhancing their existing influence through increased scope of research and critical mass. Specifically EEMC2 will:
1. Maintain a high quality core science programme in collaboration with UK partners within the network equipment and operator communities. Together Ellis and Barry have published over 700 peer reviewed conference and journal papers and both collaborate widely in Europe, partnering in 10 EU Framework 6/7 and Horizon 2020 projects since 2006. In addition to UK collaborations, EEMC2 intends to continue to play a leading role in major European programmes with companies such as BT, Eblana Photonics, Kiaim, Pilot Photonics, Teropta and Oclaro.
2. Create industry-relevant technologies and products. This will involve the generation of valuable IP (targeting 2 patent applications, one know how transfer, or one spin out company per year). This process will be managed by DCU, with whose cooperation the applicants have already launched a start-up company, Pilot Photonics, and with support from the Aston Business Partnership Unit.
3. Communicate regularly with local photonics industry, ensuring the industrial relevance of the research and providing direct exploitation routes benefiting the UK economy. In addition to working with the major multi-national companies, the project will support the growth of existing SMEs by helping to develop innovative new products, enabling access to new sources of research funding, and providing training. EEMC2 will also support the creation of new ventures and the project will recruit and train highly-skilled people to the direct benefit of UK and RoI industry.
4. Fostering public awareness through education and outreach programmes, encouraging all PhD students to participate in Aston Universities and DCU's outreach programmes, and participating personally in appropriate events with a wider public audience. Press-releases to non-specialist journals and professional magazines will also be used to publicize breakthroughs of particular importance to the wider public.
5. We anticipate that a successful execution of this proposal will lead to significant international interest in associated technologies. We will welcome the participation of other international research groups in advancing the knowledge base and increasing the likelihood of adoption of our own work. To foster this interaction, at appropriate times and in collaboration with other EPSRC and SFI funded programmes, we will organise international workshops to facilitate direct scientific exchange and future collaborations.
Thus the overall program of research enabled by this project is expected to have wide ranging benefits to the scientific community (development of a new approach to communication system design) the communications industry (simultaneous increase in available capacity and reduction in energy consumption) and wider society.
Scientifically, EEMC2 proposes to extend previous collaboration between the communications activities of two of the leading centres of excellence in photonics with the ambition of significantly enhancing their existing influence through increased scope of research and critical mass. Specifically EEMC2 will:
1. Maintain a high quality core science programme in collaboration with UK partners within the network equipment and operator communities. Together Ellis and Barry have published over 700 peer reviewed conference and journal papers and both collaborate widely in Europe, partnering in 10 EU Framework 6/7 and Horizon 2020 projects since 2006. In addition to UK collaborations, EEMC2 intends to continue to play a leading role in major European programmes with companies such as BT, Eblana Photonics, Kiaim, Pilot Photonics, Teropta and Oclaro.
2. Create industry-relevant technologies and products. This will involve the generation of valuable IP (targeting 2 patent applications, one know how transfer, or one spin out company per year). This process will be managed by DCU, with whose cooperation the applicants have already launched a start-up company, Pilot Photonics, and with support from the Aston Business Partnership Unit.
3. Communicate regularly with local photonics industry, ensuring the industrial relevance of the research and providing direct exploitation routes benefiting the UK economy. In addition to working with the major multi-national companies, the project will support the growth of existing SMEs by helping to develop innovative new products, enabling access to new sources of research funding, and providing training. EEMC2 will also support the creation of new ventures and the project will recruit and train highly-skilled people to the direct benefit of UK and RoI industry.
4. Fostering public awareness through education and outreach programmes, encouraging all PhD students to participate in Aston Universities and DCU's outreach programmes, and participating personally in appropriate events with a wider public audience. Press-releases to non-specialist journals and professional magazines will also be used to publicize breakthroughs of particular importance to the wider public.
5. We anticipate that a successful execution of this proposal will lead to significant international interest in associated technologies. We will welcome the participation of other international research groups in advancing the knowledge base and increasing the likelihood of adoption of our own work. To foster this interaction, at appropriate times and in collaboration with other EPSRC and SFI funded programmes, we will organise international workshops to facilitate direct scientific exchange and future collaborations.
Thus the overall program of research enabled by this project is expected to have wide ranging benefits to the scientific community (development of a new approach to communication system design) the communications industry (simultaneous increase in available capacity and reduction in energy consumption) and wider society.
Publications
Nguyen T.T.
(2021)
Kernel-based learning-aided phase noise compensation in dual-pump optical phase conjugation coherent system
in Optics InfoBase Conference Papers
Nguyen TT
(2021)
Digital compensation of imperfect pump counter-phasing induced phase distortion in optical phase conjugation of high-order QAM.
in Optics express
Nguyen T.T.
(2021)
Kernel-Based Learning-Aided Phase Noise Compensation in Dual-Pump Optical Phase Conjugation Coherent System
in 2021 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition, OFC 2021 - Proceedings
Nguyen T
(2021)
Coupled Transceiver-Fiber Nonlinearity Compensation Based on Machine Learning for Probabilistic Shaping System
in Journal of Lightwave Technology
Nguyen T.T.
(2021)
Digital Compensation of Residual Pump Dithering in Optical Phase Conjugation of High-Order QAM
in 2021 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition, OFC 2021 - Proceedings
Nguyen T.T.
(2021)
Digital compensation of residual pump dithering in optical phase conjugation of high-order QAM
in Optics InfoBase Conference Papers
Troncoso-Costas M
(2022)
Hybrid Probabilistic and Geometrical Shaping Technique for High-Order QAM in Phase Noise Channels
Li Y
(2022)
Enhanced Atmospheric Turbulence Resiliency With Successive Interference Cancellation DSP in Mode Division Multiplexing Free-Space Optical Links
in Journal of Lightwave Technology
Freire P.J.
(2022)
Domain Adaptation: the Key Enabler of Neural Network Equalizers in Coherent Optical Systems
in Optics InfoBase Conference Papers
Tan M
(2022)
Distributed Raman Amplification for Fiber Nonlinearity Compensation in a Mid-Link Optical Phase Conjugation System.
in Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
Donodin A.
(2022)
195-nm Multi-Band Amplifier Enabled by Bismuth-doped Fiber and Discrete Raman Amplification
in 2022 European Conference on Optical Communication, ECOC 2022
Donodin A.
(2022)
50 Gbaud QPSK E-band Transmission Using Bismuth Doped Fiber Amplifiers
in 2022 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition, OFC 2022 - Proceedings
Donodin A
(2022)
30-GBaud DP 16-QAM transmission in the E-band enabled by bismuth-doped fiber amplifiers.
in Optics letters
Ellis A.D.
(2022)
Mitigation of Nonlinear Effects in Optical Communications using Digital and Optical Techniques
in Optics InfoBase Conference Papers
Boscolo S
(2022)
Kernel adaptive filtering-based phase noise compensation for pilot-free optical phase conjugated coherent systems
in Optics Express
Donodin A.
(2022)
50 Gbaud QPSK E-band Transmission Using Bismuth Doped Fiber Amplifiers
in Optics InfoBase Conference Papers
Ribeiro V
(2022)
Parametric Amplification and Wavelength Conversion in Dual-Core Highly Nonlinear Fibers
in Journal of Lightwave Technology
Donodin A
(2022)
Gbaud QPSK E-band Transmission Using Bismuth Doped Fiber Amplifiers
Freire P.J.
(2022)
Domain Adaptation: the Key Enabler of Neural Network Equalizers in Coherent Optical Systems
in 2022 Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exhibition, OFC 2022 - Proceedings
Kamalian-Kopae M
(2022)
Neural Network-Enhanced Optical Phase Conjugation for Nonlinearity Mitigation
Hu Z.
(2022)
Single-Wavelength Terabit Multi-Modal Free Space Optical Transmission with Commercial Transponder
in 2022 European Conference on Optical Communication, ECOC 2022
Hu Z
(2023)
Aiming for high-capacity multi-modal free-space optical transmission leveraging complete modal basis sets
in Optics Communications
Gordienko V
(2023)
Design of an interferometric fiber optic parametric amplifier for the rejection of unwanted four-wave mixing products.
in Optics express
Hu Z
(2023)
Adaptive Transceiver Design for High-Capacity Multi-Modal Free-Space Optical Communications With Commercial Devices and Atmospheric Turbulence
in Journal of Lightwave Technology
Gordienko V
(2023)
Fibre Optical Parametric Amplifiers for Communications
Troncoso-Costas M
(2024)
Experimental demonstration of 480 Gbit/s coherent transmission using a nanosecond switching tuneable laser
in Optics Communications
Perero AM
(2024)
Optical Frequency Combs: Trends in Sources and Applications
| Description | This project has been working towards increasing the total bandwidth of communications from a single item of equipment (line card), concentrating in this first phase on the digital signal processing required for higher order modulation and upgrades to optical phase conjugation devices for the compensation of optical nonlinearity. The group at Aston (EP/S016171/1), completed preliminary activities on digital signal processing to enable the high order modulation of individual comb lines using conventional DA and AD converters. This included the achievement of probabilistically shaped and polarisation multiplexed 256QAM, machine learning for compensation of transceiver and transmission nonlinearity, and phase recovery including the mitigation of the impact of deterministic phase modulation at bit rates up to 96 Gbaud. The results have been disseminated in both published journals (doi.org/10.1016/j.optcom.2023.130164, , doi.org/10.1364/OL.495334), and submitted conference contributions (M. Bastamova, V. Gordienko, A.D. Ellis, "Impact of Pump Phase Modulation on Fibre Optical Parametric Amplifier Performance for 16-QAM Signal Amplification", paper Tu5.6, ECOC 2022; S. Hong, M. Tan, A. Ali, A.D. Ellis, L. Zhang, M. Ding, S. Liu, B. Chen, Z. Ding, G. Li, Y. Xie, D. Dai, "High-efficiency Optical Phase Conjugation in a single Ultra-low-loss Silicon Waveguide for Nonlinearity Compensation", paper Tu.5.15, ECOC 2022; A. Sobhanan, V. Gordienko, C.B Gaur, A.D. Ellis, "All-optical any-to-any wavelength conversion across 36nm range", paper We 5.4, ECOC 2022; Vladimir Gordienko, Mariia Bastamova, Andrew Ellis and Nick Doran, "Nonlinear Optical Loop Mirror for Waveband-Shift Free Optical Phase Conjugation", OFC 2023, paper Th2A.12; Pedro Jorge Freire de Carvalho Souza, Bernhard Spinnler, Daniel Abode, Jaroslaw E. Prilepsky, Nelson Costa, Abdallah Ali, Wolfgang Schairer, Antonio Napoli, Andrew Ellis, Sergei K. Turitsyn, "Domain Adaptation: The Key Enabler of Neural Network Equalizers in Coherent Optical Systems", OFC 2022, paper Th2A.35; Morteza Kamalian Kopae, Abdallah Ali, Karina Nurlybayeva, Andrew Ellis, Sergei K. Turitsyn, "Neural Network-Enhanced Optical Phase Conjugation for Nonlinearity Mitigation", OFC 2022, paper W2A.38). In addition, the group has completed the procurement of equipment to support the activities of this grant, including a 400 Gbit/s Network Tester. |
| Exploitation Route | It is anticipated that project partners will be able to licence protectable IP from this activity. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) |
| Description | In the light of the current pandemic, the availability of core and access networks of the types developed in this project to support high capacities has proven essential to enable home working and on-line shopping to enable self isolation. It as particularly gratifying to see that, in June 2020, data clearly demonstrated the positive enviromental impact of home working through the dramitic reduction in unecessary travel. Further afield, optical technologies developed under this project have had international impact, with the PI is now funded through a Royal Academy of Engineering grant to support the deployment of rapid deployment optical solutions to informal communities at low cost. The outreach strategies of this project also enable a wider community to be engaged, ranging from high school children at that critical point during their decision making process through participation in the Big Bang fair and through an event at ECOC 2019 (Dublin) headlined by Prof Brian Cox. Additional suport of RA careers has been provided in collaboration with the Tommy Flowers Network" and through the IEEE Photonics Society UK and Ireland Branch series HOPES. Furthermore, support has been provided to Pilot Photonics in terms of the development of optical modulators using ring reasonators (patent pending) and the test and development of fast tuneable laser sources. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
| Impact Types | Societal Economic |
| Description | Advanced Optical Frequency Comb Technologies and Applications |
| Amount | £1,722,850 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/W002868/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2022 |
| End | 09/2027 |
| Description | Fibre before the fibre: Bridging the Digital Divide in Informal Settlements |
| Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | CoSE 313671 |
| Organisation | Royal Academy of Engineering |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2021 |
| End | 04/2023 |
| Description | High Dimensional Wireless Passive Optical Networking for Access Deployment (PON-HD) |
| Amount | £562,149 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/T009047/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2020 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Silicon waveguide based-optical phase conjugation for high spectral efficiency superchannel transmission systems |
| Amount | £8,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | IEC\NSFC\201406 |
| Organisation | The Royal Society |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2021 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Title | 689 Gbps MDM FSO communication in strong turbulence data |
| Description | Data set for the publication https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.495334 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Publication |
| URL | https://research.aston.ac.uk/en/datasets/689-gbps-mdm-fso-communication-in-strong-turbulence-data |
| Title | Coupled Transceivers-Fiber Nonlinearity Compensation Based on Machine Learning for Probabilistic Shaping System |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://researchdata.aston.ac.uk/id/eprint/460 |
| Title | Data underpinning article "Single-wavelength transmission at 1.1-Tbit/s net data rate over a multi-modal free-space optical link using commercial devices" |
| Description | Data behind publication |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | n.a. |
| URL | https://researchdata.aston.ac.uk/id/eprint/540 |
| Title | Design of interferometric fiber optic parametric amplifier for unwanted four-wave mixing products (idlers, crosstalk) rejection |
| Description | Research data supporting publication with DOI:10.1364/OE.476884 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Fellowship awarded to lead author |
| URL | https://research.aston.ac.uk/en/datasets/design-of-interferometric-fiber-optic-parametric-amplifier-... |
| Title | Distributed Raman Amplification for Fiber Nonlinearity Compensation in a Mid-Link Optical Phase Conjugation System (Sensors) |
| Description | Data set behind the publication DOI: 10.3390/s22030758 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Publication with DOI 10.3390/s22030758 |
| URL | https://research.aston.ac.uk/en/datasets/distributed-raman-amplification-for-fiber-nonlinearity-comp... |
| Title | Mitigation of Nonlinear Effects in Optical Communications using Digital and Optical Techniques |
| Description | Data set behind publication |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Publication of invited conference paper , "Mitigation of Nonlinear Effects in Optical Communications Using Digital and Optical Techniques", Advanced Photonics Congress, Paper NeTu3D.4, (2022) |
| URL | https://research.aston.ac.uk/en/datasets/mitigation-of-nonlinear-effects-in-optical-communications-u... |
| Title | Mode division multiplexing free space optical transmission |
| Description | Data behind publication |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | None known |
| URL | https://researchdata.aston.ac.uk/id/eprint/538 |
| Description | Optical comb sources |
| Organisation | Pilot Photonics |
| Country | Ireland |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Support of product demonstrations, research into novel configurations of optical comb sources, general instance specific consultancy services |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to market data. FInancial contributions |
| Impact | Reportable outputs pending |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Title | Apparatus for generating a plurality of electromagnetic data signals |
| Description | Novel optical modulator. |
| IP Reference | GB2318328.8 |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | Engagement with suppliers with a view to reduction to practice and future licencing. |
| Description | IEEE Hopes |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | To discuss the long term future of Optical Communications, as part of an IEEE organised series of forard looking presentations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://photonics-ukireland.org/hopes/ |
| Description | Professor Brian Cox: Exploring the Universe |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Schools outreach event associated with ECOC 2019 in Dublin. Participated in organsiation and fundraising. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.ecoc2019.org/special-events1.html |
| Description | The Big Bang Fair |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Participation in stand, highlighting maths skills |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Tommy Flowers Network |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Even focused on researcher career paths, in particualr from PhD towards Professor or industry appointment. Hosted by BT via the Tommy Flowers Network as an online event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://tommyflowersnetwork.blogspot.com/2020/08/2020-autumn-conference-lets-get_77.html |