Advanced optical systems for terabit free-space communications

下一代移动通信网络，如6G，将彻底改变我们与技术的互动方式，使我们的移动设备能够实现超高速连接。然而，这给支持5G及更高版本的回程和接入网络带来了难以置信的压力。光连接是处理移动用户将产生的兆位数据的唯一可行的解决方案。与世界领先的移动接入技术供应商合作，该项目将开发新型光学系统，以支持通过无电缆移动蜂窝连接的超高容量光连接。在本计画中，学生将开发一种新颖且高效的光复用技术，用于一种称为轨道角动量（OAM）复用的空分复用形式。这种形式的信息编码使光子传播的故事发生了变化，并且有可能大量增加通信信道的容量。在此分选器的开发中，学生将基于变换光学设计创造新的无源光学元件，可以用超低信道串扰的OAM编码解复用信息。将探讨自由形式、超材料和衍射光学系统。他们的新型光学设计的另一个关键元素将是支持航路波分复用（1270nm至1610nm），并将与定制的自适应光学解决方案集成，以减轻基于商业可变形镜技术的大气湍流。在博士后研究人员的支持下，这些新系统将在现实世界的通信系统中制造和测试。这些技术将直接应用于光通信研究领域，但也将提供新的光学系统，可用于远距离操作的遥感和成像系统。Lavery博士先前开发的解复用器已被全球领先的量子光学、天文学、环境传感和光学计量研究小组广泛使用，这些先进的系统将完全转移到这些研究领域。该学生将与结构光子学研究小组的其他研究人员合作，将他们的系统转换为用于光学传感和计量实验。此外，使用空间形光的环境传感已成为最近的热门话题，该博士项目的进展将对这一新兴领域产生相当大的影响。

Next generation mobile communications networks, such as 6G will revolutionise the way we interact with technology, enabling super high-speed connections to our mobile devices. However, this places incredible strain on the backhaul and access networks that support 5G and beyond. Optical connections are the only viable solution for handling the terabits of data that will be generated by mobile users. Working with the world leading supplier in mobile access technology, this project will develop novel optical systems for supporting ultra-high capacity optical linkages over cable free inter mobile cell connections.In this project, the student will develop a novel and efficient optical multiplexing technique for a form of space division multiplexing called orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing. This form of information encoding puts a twist in the tale of propagating photons, and has potential to massively increase the capacity of communications channels. In the development of this sorter, the student will create new passive optical components based on transformation optical design, that can demultiplex information encoded in OAM with ultralow channel crosstalk. Free-form, metamaterial and diffractive optical systems will be explored. A further critical element of their novel optical designs, will be the support course wavelength division multiplexing (1270nmn to 1610nm), and will be integrated with bespoke adaptive optical solutions for mitigating atmospheric turbulence based on commercial deformable mirror technology. Supported by post-doctoral researchers these novel systems will be manufactured and tests in real-world communication systems.These technologies will have direct application within the research field of optical communications, but will also provide new optical systems that could be used within remote sensing and imaging systems that operate over long-distances. Previously demultiplexers, developed by Dr Lavery, have been widely used globally by world-leading research groups in quantum optics, astronomy, environmental sensing, and optical metrology, where these advanced systems will be fully transferable into these research fields. The student will collaborate with fellow researchers in the Structure Photonics Research group to transition their systems for use in optical sensing and metrology experiments. Further, environment sensing using spatially shaped light has become a recent hot topic, where the advances made within this PhD project will have a considerable impact on this emerging field.