Next generation hworigh-speed optical netks for metro access
Lead Research Organisation:
Aston University
Department Name: College of Engineering and Physical Sci
Abstract
Connectivity is the major driver in the modern "information society", where the range of data-driven applications is exploding, and new information-based value chains are rapidly emerging. Optical networks are the backbone of the global communication infrastructure, interconnecting billions of people and a huge number of various autonomous devices, control systems, and machines. Optical systems' development incites the skyrocketing growth in the demand for data exchange and harnessing, fuelled by web-based services such as ultra-HD streaming, cloud services, 5G proliferation, fostering the changes in the digital world, and shaping the structure of the modern society. The demand growth is especially pronounced in the access and metro links, where data rates largely exceeding the current <1 Tb/s will be required. Moreover, the COVID-19 - with the huge number of people working from home - has intensified the pressure on the optical networks. Also, features such as the financial cost of the system elements, latency, dynamic reconfigurability, and energy consumption gain progressively more importance for the new generation of access and metro networks.
The Doctorate Network NESTOR will answer the How? When? and Where? coherent optical transceiver will be deployed in metro-aggregation optical networks to meet the demand for new cost-efficient solutions. NESTOR will also address the Who? by providing advanced training to 10 Fellows - from a new generation of engineers - with PhD projects significantly expanding the flexibility and capacity of access/metro networks. NESTOR harnesses the complementary expertise of the top academic groups (Aston, PoliTO, UPC, SSSA, and TU/e) and core telecom industry (Infinera, BT, Orange, SM-Optics, VPI and Ericsson). NESTOR will provide Fellows with a uniquely broad education ranging from recent advances in ML&AI to real-world telecom engineering, which will enable them to design and implement high-capacity access and metro networks.
The Doctorate Network NESTOR will answer the How? When? and Where? coherent optical transceiver will be deployed in metro-aggregation optical networks to meet the demand for new cost-efficient solutions. NESTOR will also address the Who? by providing advanced training to 10 Fellows - from a new generation of engineers - with PhD projects significantly expanding the flexibility and capacity of access/metro networks. NESTOR harnesses the complementary expertise of the top academic groups (Aston, PoliTO, UPC, SSSA, and TU/e) and core telecom industry (Infinera, BT, Orange, SM-Optics, VPI and Ericsson). NESTOR will provide Fellows with a uniquely broad education ranging from recent advances in ML&AI to real-world telecom engineering, which will enable them to design and implement high-capacity access and metro networks.
Publications
Freire P
(2024)
Computational Complexity Optimization of Neural Network-Based Equalizers in Digital Signal Processing: A Comprehensive Approach
in Journal of Lightwave Technology
Ghasrizadeh S
(2024)
Digital Twin-Assisted Lightpath Provisioning and Nonlinear Mitigation in C+L+S Multiband Optical Networks
in Sensors
Srivallapanondh S
(2025)
Low complexity neural network equalizer for nonlinearity mitigation in digital subcarrier multiplexing systems.
in Optics express
Srivallapanondh S
(2024)
Experimental validation of XPM mitigation using a generalizable multi-task learning neural network.
in Optics letters
Srivallapanondh S
(2024)
Parallelization of Recurrent Neural Network-Based Equalizer for Coherent Optical Systems via Knowledge Distillation
in Journal of Lightwave Technology
| Title | Project Logo |
| Description | A professionally designed logo representing the NESTOR project, created to capture the essence of innovation and collaboration central to NESTOR's mission in next-generation optical communications research. The logo is used consistently across dissemination channels, including presentations, publications, events, and the project website. It is provided in multiple colour options and formats to ensure versatile use across various media and platforms. |
| Type Of Art | Artwork |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | The NESTOR logo has significantly strengthened the project's visibility and recognition, providing a cohesive and professional visual identity across all communication channels. It enhanced stakeholder engagement, supported branding consistency, and facilitated clearer communication of project goals, thus positively contributing to the dissemination and outreach effectiveness. |
| Description | Influencing UK Government policy through the Photonics Leadership Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The UK government has released a green paper consultation on the next industrial strategy: Invest 2035: the UK's modern industrial strategy. The strategy will be published in early Spring 2025 alongside the comprehensive spending review. Highlights include a focus on eight growth driving sectors including advanced manufacturing and digital technologies and a 10 year horizon. The underpinning and enabling nature of UK photonics, recognised in the UK government's Innovation strategy, means photonics has continued to grow through the global challenges of the last two years, where other industries have shrunk. Photonics now employs as many people in the UK as automotive or aerospace manufacturing, and more than double the number employed in pharmaceutical, steel or chemical production. |
| URL | https://photonicsuk.org/ |
| Description | Serving at the Panel 7 - Electrical & Electronic of the Royal Academy of Engineering for selection of new Fellows of RAEng |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Collaboration with OFS on development of bismuth-doped optical amplifiers |
| Organisation | OFS |
| Department | OFS Labs |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Aston team developed new bismuth-doped optical amplifiers as a part of the collaboration with the OFS (USA) |
| Collaborator Contribution | OFS provided fibres and guidance on the development of amplifiers. |
| Impact | Publications including Postdeadline papers at OFC and ECOC |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Invited talk at SPIE Photonics West, 25 - 30 January 2025 San Francisco, California, US |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | SPIE Photonics West is the world's leading photonics technologies event. Thousands of people attend Photonics West each year to learn, connect, and find the latest research and products. Topics cover biomedical optics, biophotonics, lasers, industrial lasers, optoelectronics, microfabrication, MOEMS-MEMS, displays, quantum technologies, and more. Six days, two exhibitions, technical papers, networking events, industry sessions, Quantum West stage, courses, and the co-located SPIE AR | VR | MR conference and exhibition make this the most important annual event in the optics and photonics market. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://spie.org/conferences-and-exhibitions/photonics-west |
| Description | Invited talk at the 24th International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks ICTON 2024 in Bari, Italy, July 14-18, 2024. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The National Institute of Telecommunications, former Department of Transmission and Optical Technologies in Warsaw, together with DEI - Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica e dell'Informazione of Politecnico di Bari, and the IEEE Photonics Society Poland Chapter are pleased to announce the 24th International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks ICTON 2024 in Bari, Italy, July 14-18, 2024. The scope of the Conference and co-located events is focused on the applications of transparent and all-optical technologies in telecommunications, computing, sensing, and quantum applications. Conference topics include but are not limited to: Molecular photonics Nonlinear optics Nanophotonics Digital all-optical networks Ultra-dense wavelength-division multiplexing Ultra-fast optical time domain multiplexing Next generation networking Optical switching and routing Optical packet networks and services Optical memories and data storage Optical transparency and network scalability Network reliability and availability Wireless and optical networking Free-space optical communications Radio-over-Fibre transmission Broadband metro and access networks Market in telecommunications Microwave Photonics Terahertz Photonics Photonic band-gap structures Photonic crystal fibres Optical sensing, Fibre sensing Nonlinear and active PBG devices Nanoscale and ultrafast photonics Quantum photonics Quantum communications Implementation of quantum communication infrastructures VCSELs and other novel light sources Fibre lasers High power lasers Microresonators and photonic molecules Novel glasses and photonic materials New transmission windows Polarisation Mode Dispersion Photonic component integration Network planning and design tools Big data analytics and network optimization Non-conventional optical communications Sub-wavelength photonic devices Communication in transportation systems Optical microscopy and nanoscopy techniques and applications Optical inspection of transparent samples: quantitative phase imaging 3D optical imaging and display Polarization-resolved optical microscopy Image processing Satellite communications Label-free super-resolution and sensing 5G to 6G communications Merging of optical and microwave technologies Other relevant topics |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://icton2024.fbk.eu/home |
| Description | Lake Como School Machine Learning Photonics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Summer School took place on 2-6 September 2024. The summer school brought together internationally renowned experts in nonlinear photonics and machine learning, facilitating the exchange of cutting-edge ideas, theories, and practical applications. Participants explored how the combination of photonics and machine learning could generate innovative concepts, improve understanding, and lead to the development of novel devices and systems. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://mlph2024.lakecomoschool.org/ |
| Description | Lake Como Summer School on Advanced Studies on: MACHINE LEARNING PHOTONICS |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Summer School on Advanced Studies on: MACHINE LEARNING PHOTONICS at Fondazione A. Volta, Villa Grumello, Como, Italy (https://mlph2024.lakecomoschool.org/). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://mlph2024.lakecomoschool.org/ |
| Description | NESTOR Induction Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | On 10 Dec 2024, the NESTOR Consortium held its Induction Meeting, bringing together project partners, the senior team, and early-career researchers. The event was hosted by our coordinator, the Infinera Portugal team, in Lisbon. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.linkedin.com/company/102603948 |
| Description | Open-to All Workshop "Modern Classical and Quantum Optical Fibre Systems" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This workshop, organised by the NESTOR partner, Eindhoven Institute of Technology (TUE) on the latest advances in digital signal processing techniques aimed at enhancing the performance of next-generation ultra-high-speed optical networks for metro and access applications. The event took place on hybrid mode, in person in TUE on 22 January 2025 and featured tutorial-style talks delivered by external speakers, providing an in-depth exploration of cutting-edge technologies in this field. Speakers: Prof Karlos Magnus, Dr Olga Vassilieva, Dr Metodi Yankov, Assoc Prof Chigo Okonkwo |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://nestor-network.net/otw-workshop-tue/ |
| Description | The 13th Optoelectronics and Photonics Winter School on Artifical Intelligence for Telecom |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The 13th Optoelectronics and Photonics Winter School on Artificial Intelligence for Telecom, to be held from 19 to 25 January 2025 on Monte Bondone (Trento), Italy aims at introducing students and post-docs with an optics/photonics background to the concepts of artificial intelligence applied to telecommunication, focusing on the hot topics that are driving the recent technological and scientific research in this field with an emphasis on photonic integrated circuits. The school aims to bring together a large number of PhD students and young researchers from all parts of the world who follow a series of lectures on selected topics across a one-week intense schedule. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://event.unitn.it/ait2025/ |
| Description | Tutorial on Network disaggregation and control training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The tutoria was organised by the NESTOR Beneficiary, School of Advanced Studies, Pisa (SSSA), on 18 February 2025. Lecture on "Optical network disaggregation: architecture, modeling, and control" - Speaker: Prof Nicola Sambo, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy Lecture on "Disaggregation of packet/optical networks" - Speaker: Prof Filippo Cugini, CNIT, Pisa, Italy. Event was widely advertised and open to researchers outside of the NESTOR Network/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://nestor-network.net/tutorial-by-sssa/ |