An ultra-fast ultra-broadband photonic measurement facility

光的特性已经在通信、物联网、大数据、制造、生物医学应用、传感和成像中得到了利用，并且是我们今天认为理所当然的许多发明的背后。尽管如此，仍有大量新兴应用程序有可能对我们未来的社会和经济产生积极的影响。英国研究人员正在开发尖端技术，使这些应用成为现实。这些技术的特点已经超过了我们现有测量设备（以及英国的其他设施）的工作波长范围和电子带宽，这目前构成了展示能力的绊脚石，并最终产生影响。几项重要的发展，例如，与能够以极高速度运行的集成光子技术或能够打破传统石英玻璃技术的传统限制的新型光纤和放大器的发明有关，这一项目的目的是建立一个开放的实验设施，这将使其用户能够在广泛的波长范围内进行实验，并以前所未有的速度生成，检测和分析信号。新设施将能够及时表征信号，并对其频率成分进行详细分析。相干检测将成为可能，从而提供有关信号幅度和相位特性的信息，这一独特的能力将使其用户能够设计和执行一系列新颖的实验。例如，将有可能使用信号进行实验，例如将在未来的通信网络中采用的信号。它将使人们有可能在以前不可能的程度上揭示新设备和组件的特性。它也将有可能以前所未有的细节分析实验系统的反应。该设施将受益于设在南安普顿大学，该大学在光子学、通信和生命科学等领域建立了强大的实验能力。南安普顿的泽普勒研究所的扩展洁净室综合体是英国学术界的一个独特设施，它将使制造和先进应用研究紧密相连。此外，这个新设施将附属于EPSRC的国家暗纤维设施-这是英国国家研究设施，用于纤维网络研究。提供对专用通信网络的光层的访问和控制，仅用于研究目的。两者将共同创造一个在国际上独一无二的通信研究实验环境。

The properties of light are already exploited in communications, the Internet of Things, big data, manufacturing, biomedical applications, sensing and imaging, and are behind many of the inventions that we take for granted today. Nevertheless, there is still a plethora of emerging applications with the potential to effect positive transformations to our future societies and economies. UK researchers develop cutting-edge technologies that will make these applications a reality. The characteristics of these technologies already surpass the operating wavelength range and electronic bandwidth of our existing measurement equipment (as well as other facilities in the UK), which currently forms a stumbling block to demonstrating capability, and eventually generating impact. Several important developments, relating for example, to integrated photonic technologies capable of operating at extremely high speeds or the invention of new types of optical fibres and amplifiers that are capable of breaking the traditional constraints of conventional silica glass technology, necessitate the use of ever more sophisticated equipment to evaluate the full extent of their capabilities.This project aims at establishing an open experimental facility for the UK research community that will enable its users to experiment over a wide range of wavelengths, and generate, detect and analyse signals at unprecedented speeds. The new facility will enable the characterisation of signals in time and will offer a detailed analysis of their frequency components. Coherent detection will be possible, thereby offering information on both the amplitude and phase characteristics of the signals.This unique capability will enable its users to devise and execute a range of novel experiments. For example, it will be possible to experiment using signals, such as those that will be adopted in the communication networks of the future. It will make it possible to reveal the characteristics of novel devices and components to an extent that has previously not been possible. It will also be possible to analyse the response of experimental systems in unprecedented detail. The facility will benefit from being situated at the University of Southampton, which has established strong experimental capabilities in areas, such as photonics, communications and the life sciences. Research at the extended cleanroom complex of Southampton's Zepler Institute, a unique facility in UK academia, will benefit from the availability of this facility, which will enable fabrication and advanced applications research to be intimately connected.Furthermore, this new facility will be attached to EPSRC's National Dark Fibre Facility - this is the UK National Research Facility for fibre network research, offering access and control over the optical layer of a dedicated communications network for research-only purposes. The two together will create an experimental environment for communications research that is unique internationally.