Zero loss photonic integrated switches for scalable torus mesh network topologies

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This three-year project investigates scalable interconnection network architecture for data centers. A torus network topology can scale to meet the demand for larger data interconnectivity between servers requiring low latency and large aggregated bandwidth. While servers are interconnected optically with point-to-point optical links, the interconnectivity is currently reconfigured using an electrical switch ensuring connectivity between all servers. The signal conversion between the optical domain of the transmission and the electrical domain for the switching is limiting the scalability of the network. Through recent development in photonic integration, practical optical switch matrices proved to be a potentially disruptive solution. The challenges remain in the scalability of photonic circuits in silicon technology platform due to their inherent propagation and fiber coupling losses. The project is in collaboration with an Ottawa-based startup, Rockport Networks, investigating the prospect of photonic integrated switches for data centers interconnectivity exploiting Rockport's innovative control plane. Important research advancements beyond the switch co-design with the controller are solution development for compensating the losses using optical gain elements. Prof. Liboiron-Ladouceur and her students will leverage significant contributions made in the last five years in the area of photonic integrated circuits and switches to investigate system integration feasibility and scalability of integrated optical switch matrices. The benefits of this industrial collaboration will allow Rockport to verify their architectural approach and support their control plane software development effort. At a larger scale, more scalable hardware infrastructure supporting the Internet will allow for more secure communication with greater ability to support the exponential increase in data and its invaluable possibilities.