Collaborative Research: Multichannel All-Optical Signal-Processing Devices Based on a Group-Delay-Managed Nonlinear Medium

我们提出设计和构建一套基于非线性光环镜（NOLM）的多通道非线性光信号处理设备（用于相移键控传输格式的2R再生器、开关/门和波长转换器），其中能够同时处理多个波分复用（WDM）信道的关键和新颖组件是群延迟管理（GDM）非线性介质。这种gdm介质与传统的色散管理介质的不同之处在于，它的色散映射不仅在空间上是周期性的，而且在频谱上也是周期性的，通过确保不同WDM信道之间的大色散漂移，消除了非线性信道间的相互作用，同时保持了每个信道脉冲的完整性。该项目包括三个关键工作：a)基于gdm介质的NOLM的多功能多通道非线性光信号处理器的开发和测试；b)设计/制造超低损耗gdm介质，实现芯片上新型多端口周期性群延迟器件；c)基于gdm的NOLM理论建模。提出的首次实现利用大通道内光学非线性同时抑制通道间非线性的器件将颠覆公认的全光处理范式，对光通信，网络和计算产生变革性影响。该项目将大大降低非线性光信号处理系统的复杂性和成本，加快全光网络的推出，提高带宽的可用性。与电子处理相比，减少的功耗将有助于改善环境。这种方法与硅和硫族玻璃波导的兼容性使其潜在地有利于板对板和芯片对芯片的网络。这笔资金将支持三名研究生，他们将在光通信系统、设备制造和应用数学方面获得协同经验。

ObjectiveWe propose to design and build a suite of multichannel nonlinear-optical signal-processing devices (2R regenerator for phase-shift-keying transmission formats, switch/gate, and wavelength converter) based on nonlinear-optical loop mirror (NOLM), in which the key and novel component enabling the simultaneous processing of multiple wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) channels is a group-delay-managed (GDM) nonlinear medium. Such a GDM-medium differs from conventional dispersion-managed media in that its dispersion map is not only spatially, but also spectrally periodic, which eliminates nonlinear inter-channel interaction by ensuring large dispersive walk-off among different WDM channels, while preserving the integrity of each channel's pulses. The project consists of three key efforts: a) development and testing of multi-functional multichannel nonlinear-optical signal processor based on GDM-medium-enabled NOLM; b) design/fabrication of ultra-low-loss GDM-medium implementing novel multiport periodic-group-delay-device on a chip; c) theoretical modeling of GDM-based NOLM. Intellectual meritThe proposed first realization of devices that utilize large intra-channel optical nonlinearity while suppressing the inter-channel nonlinearity will overturn the accepted paradigms of all-optical processing, making transformative impact on optical communications, networking, and computing.Broader impactThis project will dramatically reduce complexity and cost of nonlinear-optical signal processing systems, expediting the roll-out of all-optical networking and increasing the bandwidth availability. The reduced, compared to electronic processing, power consumption will contribute to better environment. The compatibility of this approach with silicon and chalcogenide-glass waveguides makes it potentially beneficial for board-to-board and chip-to-chip networking. This funding will support three graduate students who will get synergetic experience in optical communications systems, device fabrication, and applied mathematics.