Photonics technologies for access networks and short range communications

在过去的十年中，光网络实现的数据通信彻底改变了我们的生活方式。它改变了我们工作、学习和交流的方式。每天，新的服务和应用都在推动光通信网络的发展，这就需要一个能够为最终用户提供高带宽服务的基础设施。光网络面临的挑战是多方面的。分组交换网络目前被认为是在数据网络中提供有效带宽管理的手段。在长距离链路中，传统的开/关键控调制正被实现破纪录容量和频谱效率的更复杂格式所取代。但是，最终用户如何才能获得这一非凡的带宽？光子学在提供这种连接方面将发挥什么作用？目前正在研究的解决方案包括具有波分复用的光纤无源光网络（WDM-PON）和具有光纤骨干的移动的RF连接（光纤无线电）。这项研究涉及扩大这些网络的覆盖范围和能力。更具体地说，我们将集中精力研究光子器件，这些光子器件可以实现新的高效架构或获得新的频带。作为这个项目的延伸，我们将探讨如何将这些技术应用于其他环境，如传感器网络。为了实现这些目标，我们将在光纤元件和光通信系统方面建立现有的专业知识。

Over the last decade, data communications enabled by optical networks have revolutionized our way of life. It has changed how we work, learn and communicate. Every day, new services and applications are fuelling the growth of optical communication networks, requiring an infrastructure that will deliver high bandwidth services to end users. The challenges facing optical networks are manifold. Packet-switched networks are currently considered as a means to provide efficient bandwidth management in data networks. In long haul links, traditional on/off keying modulation is being replaced by more complex formats that achieve record breaking capacity and spectral efficiency. But how can the final user access this extraordinary bandwidth? What will be the role of photonics in providing this connectivity? Solutions that are currently being studied include fiber optics passive optical networks with wavelength division multiplexing (WDM-PON) and mobile RF connections with fiber optic backbone (radio-over-fiber). This research is concerned with extending the reach and capacity of these networks. More specifically, we will focus our efforts on studying photonic devices that can enable new and efficient architectures or give access to new frequency bands. As an extension of this project we will explore how these technologies can be applied to other contexts such as sensor networks. To achieve these objectives, we will build on our current expertise in fiber optic components and optical communication systems.