Photonic network technology for a low carbon digital economy.

拟议研究方案的目标是开发信息和通信网络基础设施，以支持在低碳数字经济背景下推动带宽和可获得性限制的新应用。具体地说，提议设计和评价高能效网络基础设施的性能，该基础设施具有统一的控制平面，以便将因特网协议整合到光城域网络中，以便根据需要为云计算提供灵活和智能的带宽；开发对实施至关重要的快速和可扩展的单芯片透明光开关；以及，通过更长期的研究，促进该技术的可持续性，以转变纳米光电子器件的新概念，并将好奇的事物集成到接近热力学极限的超低能耗光子器件。预期成果包括：专为应对信息和通信技术网络能源成本不断上升而设计的独特系统架构；有望彻底改变光子网络思维并激发商业化兴趣的单芯片光相控阵交换机和交换结构；将确保宽带无线接入“光纤上无线电数字相干光传输”竞争力的新型相移元件和相干电光频率上变器，并显著推进“无处不在相干光传输”的研究议程，这将独特地挑战传统调制架构。这些成果将有助于加拿大数字经济战略的成功；消除实现对第三个千禧年世界经济至关重要的“可持续数字城市”的障碍。最重要的是，该研究将培养高素质和高技能的人才，促进有效的知识转移，并帮助满足加拿大工业的就业需求。

The goal of the proposed research programme is to develop information and communications network infrastructure capable of supporting new applications that push bandwidth and accessibility limits in the context of a low-carbon digital economy. Specifically, it is proposed to design and evaluate the performance of an energy efficient network infrastructure that features a unified control plane to integrate the Internet protocol into optical metro networks to provide flexible and intelligent bandwidth on demand for cloud computing; to develop fast and scalable single-chip transparent optical switches critical to the implementation; and, contribute to the sustainability of the technology through longer term research to transform new concepts in nanophotonic devices and integration from curiosities into ultra-low energy consumption photonic devices that approach thermodynamic limits. The expected results are: system architectures uniquely designed to deal with escalating information and communications technology network energy costs; single chip optical phased array switches and switch fabrics that may be expected to revolutionise photonic network thinking and ignite interest in commercialisation; novel phase-shift elements and coherent electro-optical frequency up-converters that will ensure the competitiveness of 'digital coherent optical transport of radio over fibre' for broadband wireless access and significantly advance the research agenda on 'coherent optical transmission everywhere', which uniquely challenges conventional modulation architectures. The outcomes will contribute to the success of Canada's strategy for a digital economy; tearing down barriers to the realisation of 'sustainable digital cities' vital to the world economy in the third millennium. Most important, the research will develop highly qualified and skilled personnel promoting effective knowledge transfer and helping to fill the employment needs of Canadian industry.